


Dashing Rose: A Finding You Always Vignette

by LilacMoon83



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Dashing Rose, F/M, Fandral of Asgard, Romance, Rose Red - Freeform, Snowing AU, Snowing parallel, a Finding You Always vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:22:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23867470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacMoon83/pseuds/LilacMoon83
Summary: A Finding You Always Vignette. Once Upon a Time, in another Enchanted Forest, Princess Rose Red was the fairest of them all, but under the thumb of her evil Uncle. Her life changed the moment a portal opened up, depositing a wounded warrior from Asgard. Once healed, Fandral of Asgard meets Rose Red and true love is born. But the evil King stands in their way. Snowing parallel.Complete.
Relationships: Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

AN: Welcome to my Finding You Always side story, Dashing Rose. I figured it was time that Rose Red and Fandral deserved to have their own story told. I chose to keep this in the Once category since I consider Dashing Rose a Snowing AU or parallel of my own creation. Rose Red is Snow's counterpart in another land(who is identical to Snow) and Fandral is obviously from Asgard. It helps to have read Finding You Always to understand this story completely, but it could probably be read alone as well as a Snowing parallel. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

Dashing Rose: A Finding You Always Vignette

Chapter 1: Rose Red and Fandral of Asgard

"Grams...Gramps...guess what I found?" Henry called, as he came running up to them excitedly.

"Whoa kid...take a breath," David teased, as he saw Neal chasing him.

"No kidding...not everything is a race, kid," Neal agreed, as he finally caught up.

"You're just slow," Henry quipped, earning a withering glance from him, as David snickered.

"What did you find Henry?" Snow asked.

"More books...like mine, only these have stories from the Land of Untold Stories I think," Henry said. Snow took the book and started leafing through it, as Jekyll took notice.

"Yes...these are stories from the Land of Untold Stories," Jekyll confirmed.

"It would make sense I guess, if what that goon said is anything to go by. Those people are here now," Neal mentioned.

"And they have unfinished stories, so a book appearing to the Author does make sense," David agreed.

"I think I'm supposed to finish the stories," Henry said.

"Whoa kid...back up. Let's be careful. Hyde also said that these people don't want their stories finished. I don't want anything putting you in danger," Neal replied.

"He's right Henry," Snow and David agreed, as she continued to leaf through the book.

"Is your story in here, Dr. Jekyll?" Henry asked curiously.

"Oh...mine? Perhaps so...though you have nothing to fear from me, lad. My story is finished, I believe," he said, a note of uncertainty in his voice.

"Look...the one about Rose Red is here. I thought you said she wasn't in the Land of Untold Stories anymore?" Snow questioned.

"She's...she's not…" he said, seemingly leary all the sudden.

"Maybe it's in there because she was in that land for a while," Neal deduced.

"Maybe hers is one that's actually finished," Henry agreed. Snow nodded.

"I'd like to know for sure...can I hang onto this for a little while, Henry?" she asked. The boy shrugged.

"Sure Grams," he replied.

"Oh...there isn't much more to Rose's story than what I told you," Jekyll said nervously.

"Oh, I don't know...there has to be. I mean, I know the story of how Charming and I met is quite a story. It only makes sense that Rose has a story too. I'd like to know how she met her Charming," Snow replied curiously, as she looked at her husband. She intended to read and learn all about Rose Red, her counterpart from another land, and how she met her true love…

Once Upon a Time, there lived a Princess, beloved by all in her Kingdom. She had been born to the King and Queen, who struggled to have a baby, on a summer eve. It was said upon her birth that every rose, despite no sunlight, bloomed in the palace gardens in the twilight as the Princess drew her first breath. For this reason, the Queen called her Rose Red and it was deemed she would one day be the fairest in all the land, for she would have hair black as ebony, skin fair as snow, and lips red as a rose.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck the Princess at a young age when her parents were killed and her evil Uncle assumed the Throne since she was too young to become Queen at the time. Her Uncle John was determined to never let the Princess usurp him and claim her rightful place and thus sent her away into seclusion with a dwarf as her caretaker, who was in his employ.

The dwarf was unkind to Rose Red and raised her to serve him and slave over his care. But Rose was a free spirit and befriended all the animals she came in contact with. She knew of her heritage, but was humble and was not bitter about what her Uncle had done. Things were not good in her Kingdom though, for her Uncle had bankrupt the Royal coffers and the people were suffering. But Rose was at a loss to what she could do, for the evil dwarf that had enslaved her kept her under his thumb.

But one day, her life changed completely when she found a badly injured stranger that seemingly dropped into her garden out of nowhere. She could not know at that moment that true love would blossom and free her and her Kingdom.

The last thing he remembered was being stabbed by the sword of a woman that looked like she had ascended from hell itself and then nothing. He was sure he was dead at that point and would soon be welcomed into the afterlife. Valhalla awaited or so he thought and though his pain was too great to open his eyes, he felt himself being vaulted around almost violently in somewhat of a volatile river, until he was pulled into something bright. Valhalla...he was sure, but the pain remained and that confused him, until he opened his eyes to find the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his considerable fourteen hundred years. This was Valhalla and she had to be an angel…

"Your Majesty...there is a Lord from a far off land here to meet with you," Sir Hiss, his adviser, announced to the evil King John.

"What does he want?" the King asked skeptically.

"He has heard of our Princess. He is looking for a bride and insists that only the fairest and most beautiful will do. He is prepared to pay handsomely for her hand," Hiss replied. The King could already taste the gold and motioned to his adviser.

"Please...invite this Lord in immediately," he requested.

Rose Red hummed to herself idly, as she tended to the flowers in the garden. Birds and small woodland creatures alike scurried around her, per normal, and she enjoyed the feeling of the sun upon her. Life living under her evil Uncle was not always good, but she always tried to find the good in everything and was grateful her Uncle allowed her out into the gardens everyday. As part of her chores, he demanded that the garden be tended to as well and that was a task that was no chore to her.

She heard a strange whooshing sound at that moment and then a thud. She looked around and gasped, as she saw the injured man, who had seemingly dropped out of the sky. She had heard of such occurrences though; portals from other places and wondered if this man had come from such. As she got closer, she noticed how serious his wound was and called for the dwarf that lorded over her.

"He might as well be dead already. What do you want me to do about it?" he snapped at the girl.

"No...he's alive! He still draws breath, however faintly. You must heal him with your magic!" she pleaded.

"Oh...and just why would I do that? He has done nothing for me," the dwarf griped.

"Please...I will owe you the favor!" she begged. And the evil dwarf smirked deviously. He had just received word that there was a very rich Lord that wished to have Rose Red's hand in marriage. Just the riches a deal like that could barter him was too tempting and having her owe him ensured that he would benefit greatly.

"Fine stupid girl...I'll save this stranger and then you shall repay me with whatever favor I desire," he growled, as he used his magic and healed the handsome stranger's wound.

As the man opened his eyes, Rose was captivated by the bluest eyes she had ever seen. The stranger saw the beautiful woman kneeling over him and was also captivated by her beauty.

"Where...where am I?" he asked.

"You are in my garden...you were gravely injured. I bartered a favor from this dwarf to heal your wound," she replied. His brow furrowed.

"But you don't even know me? Why would help me?" he asked in awe. She looked down shyly.

"I could not let you die…" she said, as he sat up and their hands brushed, as electricity passed between them.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Rose Red…" she answered.

"I am Fandral of Asgard...or at least I was," he introduced himself, as he stood up and towered over her.

"Was?" she asked.

"I'm afraid Asgard is gone...I was fatally wounded in an apocalyptic battle or so I thought," he replied.

"You must have fallen through a portal as your world collapsed. I've read of such things," she surmised.

"And then you saved my life," he added.

"It seemed like the honorable thing to do," she said, as they stared at each other.

"You're alive...now you'll kindly leave my castle. And you girl...get back to your chores and cook my dinner!" the dwarf snapped.

"He has nowhere to go...I'll show you to a room. There are many empty ones here," she said.

"You'll do no such thing!" the dwarf growled, as he grabbed her arm, yanked her away, and then his hand struck her face. That made Fandral practically see red and he drew his sword.

"You will take your hands off her, dwarf!" Fandral growled.

"It was my magic that saved you...she owes me everything and she will know her place," the dwarf growled back.

"I will be grateful that you saved my life, but nothing will allow me to let you strike her again!" Fandral hissed, as he and the dwarf stared each other down.

"Fine...stay in the palace for all I care," the dwarf spat, as he stalked back inside.

"It won't matter when we marry her off for all the riches in the Kingdom anyway," he grumbled underneath his breath.

"It's you who have saved me this time," Rose said breathlessly, as they stared at each other again.

"It seemed like the honorable thing to do," he replied. She looked down shyly.

"I will show you to a room and then I must prepare the evening meal for my Uncle and the dwarf," she said.

"May I ask you something?" Fandral said.

"Of course," she replied.

"You are not treated well here. Why do you stay?" he asked. She looked at him and then looked away shyly. He was so handsome. She'd never met one so kind and handsome.

"This was my parent's castle. When they died, my Uncle took over and I'm afraid he has led my Kingdom to ruin. My people do not have enough to eat and he has taxed them into poverty," she explained.

"I'm so sorry," he said sincerely.

"I feel responsible. They are my people. How can I leave them? But then I feel even more guilty, for I do not know how to help them. To be honest, the only thing that keeps me here I think is my library," she replied.

"Your library?" he asked curiously. She nodded.

"It has fallen into terrible disarray since my parents died, because I do not get enough time to maintain it. But I still love it. Uncle hates it...but even his dwarf does not have the power to burn an enchanted library," she revealed.

"Enchanted?" he asked. She nodded.

"Would...would you like to see it?" she asked.

"I would. Back in Asgard, our Queen had quite an impressive library too. But not enchanted. What makes yours enchanted?" he asked curiously. She smiled.

"It is protected by the Goddess Hermes and has been in my family's care for generations. It houses stories for all the realms in existence," she announced, as she opened the dusty doors and revealed the massive library.

"By Odin's beard…" he uttered in awe.

"In my fourteen hundred some years, never have I seen anything like this," he said, as he looked around.

"I wish it was in better shape...I just don't get the time I'd like. If I could...I'd spend all day in here," she said.

"Rose Red! Rose Red! Where are you, stupid girl?!" the dwarf shouted. She gasped.

"I must go...if I'm late with my Uncle's evening meal, he'll be terribly angry," she fretted, as she ran off and he watched her go with longing and sadness in his eyes. He had only known her a short time, but the thought of her being mistreated made him ache. And as long as he was here, he was determined not to let that happen.


	2. True Love Born

Chapter 2:True Love Born

Fandral gazed up at the stars that night, somehow looking for answers. He knew his home world was gone now, but he hoped at least that some of his people had survived. He thought he would have desired to find out, but his thoughts were consumed by the woman who had saved his life instead. Never in his considerable fourteen-hundred years had he met a woman that was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. Until Rose Red.

He had been a bit disappointed when a servant had delivered his evening meal at her request and told him that she regretted that she could not join him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong and so when the servant knocked to collect his tray, he pressed her for information.

"Can you please tell me where Rose is?" he requested.

"I am afraid I am forbidden to say," the woman said and he could tell she was quite troubled by that.

"Please...I care for Rose Red and you will not be implicated," he promised. The woman looked around and then stepped closer to him.

"The King was dissatisfied with the quality of her work today and when he is dissatisfied, he punishes her," she whispered. Dread knotted in his stomach.

"What sort of punishment?" he asked. She closed her eyes.

"She receives a whipping...he does it in the cellar so no one will hear her scream," she revealed. Horror and outrage filled him, as he extracted his sword from the stand by the door.

"Where is this cellar?" he questioned. She looked around and then motioned him down the hallway, where she opened a door that revealed a dark, winding staircase.

"This will lead you down there. Save her," she pleaded, as he hurried down.

~*~

Tears were already falling down her cheeks, as Sir Hiss led her to the cellar that evening. Her dwarf caretaker had informed her Uncle that she had failed to complete some of her chores that day and she had been late with the evening meal. That meant she had to face the consequences of those failures.

Sir Hiss prodded her into the cellar where her Uncle awaited her.

"I give you everything, my dear and yet you fail to complete such simple tasks," he said sternly.

"I'm sorry Uncle...please don't do this," she pleaded, but he raised his hand.

"You will be silent, Rose Red. This must be done and you know that you deserve this," he replied, as he took her arm and led her to the post in the center of the cellar.

"Raise your arms," he ordered and she obeyed, knowing that one way or another, this was going to happen, no matter what she did. Her wrists were tied to the post and she was already crying, as she felt him unzip the back of her dress. He pushed the fabric aside, baring the fair skin of her back. He picked up the harshly woven whip and took the first lash. A scream ripped from her throat. She sobbed, as he spent four more lashes. By that time, she was hanging from the ropes, in a haze of unbearable pain and cried uncontrollably, knowing that she had five more lashes to endure. But the sixth one never came.

John's face was alight with twisted glee, as he abused his niece. He feared her kindness and her strength. He resented how the people loved her and loathed him. He knew if she ever had the courage to rise against him that she could rally the people to help her overthrow him. So he kept her down. He forced her into servitude and he made sure she would never rise against him. And soon, he would force her to marry a rich Lord from a far away Kingdom. Lord Farquad was quite enamored by her and willing to pay him a large fortune. Once the marriage was final, he would be very rich and never have to be bothered with her again. As he wound up for the sixth lash, he felt someone catch his arm and then it was him crying out in pain.

"How dare you!" Fandral growled, as he shoved the King against the wall.

"Guards!" King John called, as several flooded the cellar, but they were cut down with ease.

"Would you care to have the rest of your army cut down as well?" Fandral questioned, as he shocked them with his super human strength and prowess with a blade.

"How dare you...I am King!" John boasted.

"You are no King...you are a monster, but if you ever touch a hair on her head again, you will meet your end at my blade," he warned, as he cut the ropes and caught Rose Red in his arms. He swept her into his arms and no one stopped him from carrying her out of the cellar.

~*~

He choked, as the breath in his body stilled and her blade protruded from his chest. He fell to the floor and was in and out of consciousness for the next few hours, slowly dying and unable to open his eyes at all. He soon felt himself floating and knew now that he had somehow been sucked away from his home realm by the bi-frost. The next time he opened his eyes, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen was peering over him with worry and concern. And then...complete awareness as his deadly wound was magically healed. She had smiled at him and his heart skipped a beat at the sight. That's when the memories changed though into a nightmare. He saw that demon woman come through a portal after him. Hela...his would be murderer.

"Guess I should have made sure you were really dead," she hissed, as her attention turned to Rose.

"Who is this?" she asked, as she strode toward her and Rose's scream filled his ears.

He startled awake from the chair he had fallen asleep in and breathed heavily, as he got his bearings. The last part had just been a nightmare and he was reasonably certain that Hela wouldn't come for him. He was insignificant in her plans and as he got up to check on Rose, he realized that, while he loved his former home, he was but a small cog in a very large wheel. But here...he felt purpose like he had not felt in a very long time. Purpose at her side and the memories of what she had endured last evening were very fresh in his mind. He was still livid and thinking that letting that monster live was a mistake. But firstly, his focus was on Rose and he gently checked the bandages he had placed on her back.

She stirred and hummed the most beautiful noise he was sure he had ever heard, next to her voice, and opened her eyes. She was startled at first, until she saw him.

"Easy...your wounds are mostly healed, but take it slow," he said.

"How…" she started to say and then the memories came back to her.

"You...you saved me…" she realized.

"And he will never touch you again, lest he wishes to meet his end at my blade," he told her.

"How...how am I healed already?" she asked curiously. He smiled gently.

"Your garden is quite impressive. You had all the ingredients I needed to make an ancient Asgardian healing salve that works wonders on wounds such as the ones you had," he explained, as he helped her sit up.

"You...you did all that for me?" she asked.

"How could I not? He has been abusing you for years, hasn't he?" he asked. She looked down and swallowed.

"Since I was very small," she admitted.

"But you shouldn't have done that. He'll find a way to retaliate against you," she added.

"I don't care and I assure you I can take on his entire army if I have to, for he will never lay another hand on you," he promised, as she sat up.

"He is undeserving of his Throne...it is you that should sit on that Throne. That is what the people want, isn't it?" he asked. She looked at him.

"Yes...but I am no Queen. How can I lead them when I cannot even stand up to my Uncle?" she asked.

"You can if you have the right people behind you," he replied.

"And you would stand with me?" she asked.

"I would," he replied. She was about to say more when she heard the dwarf call to her.

"I must go for now...but will you meet me in the garden later?" she asked.

"I will," he promised, as she stepped closer to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Th...thank you for saving me," she whispered, as she hurried off to tend to her chores. He was stunned by the feel of her lips on his cheek and realized at that moment that he had fallen in love, real love, for the first time in his very long life.

~*~

"And this is the garden, Lord Farquad. You will find no garden as beautiful as this one in all the Kingdoms," King John boasted.

"Quite...my compliments to your gardener," Farquad said.

"Ah, well...my gardener is none other than my fair niece, Rose Red," John said, as they came upon the young woman, as she was tending to the rose bushes.

"Forgive her appearance," he apologized, noticing the dirt on her dress.

"My my, it is true...you are the fairest in the land," Farquad said, captivated by the beautiful Princess.

"This is Lord Farquad," John said, as he grabbed her arm.

"You will bow to him," he hissed. But for the first time, Rose Red looked at him with defiant eyes and pulled away.

"Oh...she has fire. I do love fire," Farquad commented.

"It's nice to meet you, Lord Farquad. Please excuse me," Rose said politely, as she hurried off into the garden to get away. She wanted no part of any of the dignitaries that her Uncle was trying to impress. Her face lit up though when she found Fandral waiting for her and her heart skipped a beat when he smiled at her. She knew what she was feeling for him, but she wondered if she dared to hope for something as wonderful as true love.

~*~

Over the next few weeks, Rose Red and Fandral spent much time together. She helped him acclimate to this new land since he really had no other to return to. He was curious if any had survived Asgard, but found himself taking to his new home very well. Much of that was because of the beautiful princess that had come to his rescue though. They talked and laughed together for hours in her garden when he was not keeping up with his rigorous training.

Rose was fascinated by his stories as a warrior alongside the God Thor and all his adventures. She was enthralled by the adventures he had been on and places he had been.

"It must have been so incredible to go so many places," she mentioned.

"It was...though I admit, sometimes it was hard to feel like I was home, even when I was," he replied.

"Sometimes, I don't think home is a place. This palace has been by home since I was a child, but it never felt like home until...until you came," she admitted.

"And I come from a land far from here, yet not even Asgard felt as home as this place does," he admitted in return. Rose felt her face go hot, for it was not the first time she had noticed how handsome Fandral was. Or how dashing or charming he was.

"Do you think I could learn to fight?" she asked suddenly. He looked at her curiously.

"I mean, I know such is not proper for a Princess and many think not proper for a woman...but," she stammered, but he lay his hand on hers.

"One of the most skilled and valiant warriors I ever fought with was a woman. I'd be honored to teach you," he replied. She beamed at him and threw her arms around him. He chuckled and then stopped, as they stared at each other, their faces mere inches apart.

"We...we should begin your training," he said, trying to keep his voice even.

"In a minute," she responded, as she pressed her lips to his. Fandral instantly kissed her back and squashed any daylight between them. True love had been sparked between them almost instantly upon their meeting, but in that moment, it was born in the garden where they realized they were each other's home. Little did they know, the evil dwarf had other plans for Rose Red and he glared at the scene before him from the tower. He was determined that true love would not spoil his plans…


	3. A Bandit Princess and her Asgardian Warrior

Chapter 3: A Bandit Princess and her Asgardian Warrior

Weeks Later

King John's eyes were wide with greed at the amount of gold that was being proposed for his niece's hand.

"I trust that this is sufficient payment for Rose Red's hand in marriage?" Lord Farquad asked.

"All that gold for that slip of a girl?" Hiss commented.

"Your adviser must be blind. I have not been able to stop thinking about that fair creature since I lay eyes on her," Farquad said.

"Yes...there is a reason our Rose Red is referred to as the fairest in the lands," John said grandly.

"But do not let her appearance fool you...she is a caution. She is unruly at best and requires my frequent firm hand of discipline," the King warned.

"That fire is part of the appeal, though I assure you that she will be tamed by my hand as well. Now...I shall take what is mine if you so please. I wish to marry her at once and then take her to my palace for our wedding night," Farquad said.

"She is in the garden with that brute. I will summon a holy man at once and have the staff prepare for your nuptials," John said, as he rose from his seat. Finally, he was to be rid of Rose Red.

~*~

In the passing weeks, Fandral had trained Rose Red in the ways of the warrior. Being an expert swordsman, he taught her sword fighting first and though she became proficient at such, she found her true prowess in archery when he taught her to shoot a bow. She practiced and trained daily with him. And both we were aware of their growing feelings for each other. And it would be on the day they professed their love that they would be forced to flee for their lives.

Rose fired an arrow, yet again hitting the bullseye on the tree. She turned to him with a beaming grin, making his heart quicken and she ran to him. He caught her in his arms and spun her around.

"You are truly a natural with a bow," he complimented.

"Oh please...I was a disaster when you first taught me. I couldn't even extract an arrow from the quiver properly," she reminded. He smiled.

"None of us is exactly skilled on the first day of training. Doesn't mean we don't have natural aptitude," he reminded in return. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. He swallowed thickly, as their eyes met again.

"Rose...there is something I must tell you," he uttered. She frowned. She had been dreading this moment. She had wondered how long it would be until he decided he wanted to leave to search for any survivors of his home.

"It's okay...I understand," she said, as she felt the tears brim her eyes.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"I knew eventually you'd probably want to leave to find your people. And I'll miss you more than you know, but I would never stop you from going," she confessed. His eyes widened.

"You think I'm leaving?" he asked.

"You're not?" she squeaked.

"Rose...I never want to leave you. I'm in love with you," he confessed. Her eyes glistened with tears.

"Oh Fandral…" she cried, as he folded her into his arms.

"I love you too…" she confessed in return, as their lips crashed together. He grinned at her, as their lips parted and she yelped in surprise when he swept her into his arms. But their bliss was rudely interrupted by the dwarf that still lorded over her.

"The King is coming and your presence is required. As for you, stranger, I trust you'll make yourself scarce," the dwarf growled.

"He has a name, you know," Rose snapped.

"I don't care what his name is, stupid girl. The King demands your presence as he has promised your hand to a very rich nobleman, who is going to pay us handsomely for you," the dwarf revealed.

"What?" Rose asked in horror.

"That's right...it's your wedding day, Rose Red," he replied deviously, as they noticed the guards closing in around them.

"There is no way I will allow you to do this to her, dwarf," Fandral spat, as he drew his blade.

"Ah...there you are, fair Rose Red…" Farquad said, as he arrived with her Uncle and his entourage arrived.

"Lord Farquad…" she uttered, with a note of fear in her voice.

"Yes...it is I, your future husband," he leered.

"I'd rather die than be married off to someone like you, especially when I am in love with another," Rose refuted, as she put her hand on Fandral's arm.

"We don't care about what you want, girl. I am your King...and you will marry Lord Farquad," John stated.

"You are no King...and I warned you what would happen if you ever hurt Rose again," Fandral warned, as he raised his sword. The guards descended upon him, but they were no match. Rose helped him by picking off more approaching ones with arrows.

Once Farquad saw his men fall so easily, he fled, but not before telling King John that their deal was off. At that time, John's entire army arrived and even Fandral knew he couldn't take on hundreds with just the two of them and the dwarf's magic assisting the army. He had a good chance against even an entire army, but it was too risky with the crafty dwarf and he was not willing to risk the woman he loved. They needed help, but he knew how much the Kingdom loved Rose and if she rallied them to fight with her, he knew they would and then they would defeat John.

He took her hand and they fled the gardens that had been their home for the woods.

"You will regret this Fandral and Rose Red! You cannot escape the King!" the dwarf warned, as they fled into the forest.

"Where will we go?" Rose asked.

"I don't know yet...but we'll be together," Fandral answered, as they shared a gaze.

"Even if we have to be bandits?" she asked. He smirked.

"Even if we have to be bandits...though you'll surely be the loveliest bandit ever," he answered, as they escaped together. And wanted posters for them would soon paper the Kingdom. But for them, their love was worth it all.

~*~

"Have you found them?" John demanded to know, hours later. He had thrown no less than three tantrums by that point, whining about the lost gold and Rose Red's defiance.

"I'm sorry, Sire...we have searched high and low. No one in the villages are talking either, despite our threats. They are loyal to the fair Rose Red, I'm afraid," the lead guard reported.

"This isn't fair…" he complained.

"I am their KING!" he shouted.

"Burn the nearest village! The one that insipid girl always loved to frequent to read to children and buy trinkets from!" the King ordered.

"Sire...if I may, I believe that is unwise. It will only inspire the people to further stand behind the Princess if you commit genocide," the lead guard warned.

"No...you may not! You will do as I say! Burn the village! Kill them all!" John ordered. The guard bowed deeply and reluctantly left to carry out his orders.

"Sire…" the dwarf said, as he bowed.

"Where are they!? Why haven't you found them yet!?" John demanded to know.

"This Fandral is very resourceful...I have done some research and these Asgardians are not only beings with God-like strength, but it would seem they have very long lifespans. And this Fandral was in the top warrior class," the dwarf reported.

"I don't care about your excuses! I want him dead and I want the gold promised to me for Rose Red's hand! I must be rid of her! This is my Kingdom!" John ranted.

"I am afraid killing him would be difficult...but I may be able to curse him," the dwarf said.

"Curse him?" John asked with interest.

"Yes...a powerful curse that will turn him into a fearsome creature," the dwarf said.

"And this curse...can it be broken?" John asked.

"With true love's kiss, but I acquired this key to open a portal to the Land of Untold Stories. If we push Rose Red through that portal after we curse her beloved, she'll never be able to return to break his curse," the dwarf explained deviously. John smirked evilly.

"It will take time, but it will be done," the dwarf added.

"Yes...and then the Kingdom will bow to me," John said.

~*~

Rose and Fandral rode a horse for several hours, until they had successfully lost any of John's soldiers. They found a clearing near a creek and stopped there for the night. While the animal drank from the creek, they set up camp and built a fire. She smiled at him, as he put his cloak around her and they cuddled by the fire.

"You'll freeze…" she said, as she shivered.

"Asgardians have a higher body temperature than humans...I'll be fine, my angel," he promised, making her flush.

"You have called me that since the day we met," she mentioned. He smiled.

"When I fell through the portal and into the river of space and time, as we call it in Asgard, I was sure that Valhalla was my final destination," he explained.

"Valhalla? I think I have heard that name before. There is a book in my library, but I'm afraid I couldn't read the language," she said.

"It was likely written in Asgardian," he replied.

"What is Valhalla?" she asked.

"It is the afterlife...a realm for heroes that die in the glory of battle. A final resting place," he answered.

"And you thought I was an angel in this afterlife," she said.

"Fortunately, it was not the afterlife and you are the angel that saved me from it," he replied, making her flush again.

"And you're the true love I've been waiting for and thought I'd never find," she said, as she looked into his eyes.

"With my Uncle...I always fall and crash. I've never had control of my own life. But with you...you keep catching me and you're not only my love, but my freedom," she said passionately.

"Oh Rose…" he uttered, as their lips crashed together and the passion swelled between them. He soon pulled away, afraid to carry it too far, because he wanted her so badly, but she pursued him and kissed him again.

"You do not have to be such a gentleman, my love...I want you and you know that I will not so easily break," she whispered to him.

"I know...and I want you, my Rose, you have no idea how much. But I feel that you must know about my past," he confessed. She nodded.

"Asgardians have a very long lifespan. I am fourteen hundred years old," he confessed.

"Your past does not bother me...I mean you have seen so many places and lived far longer than me. It would only make sense that you've had other lovers. You are very handsome, after all," she reasoned.

"I have...I was very foolish and frivolous in my love life during my youth. I'm afraid I hurt many young women who I took to bed, but refused to give my heart when they wanted to give theirs. It was wrong," he confessed. She shook her head.

"But you are not that many anymore…" she insisted.

"I am not...I got a taste of my own medicine, so to speak. I fell in love with a woman once. It was centuries ago now...but she was not what she seemed. She was an enchantress and she did to my heart what I had done to many hearts before," he explained.

"She was cruel to you," Rose said in concern.

"She was...but it taught me the lesson I so needed. I vowed from that day that I would never seek the pleasures of the flesh without giving my heart to the right woman," he replied.

"I didn't think I'd ever find the one...until you," he said, making her smile.

"Oh Fandral...your past is your past and I would never hold it against you. The important thing is you are a good, honorable man now...the man I love," she confessed.

"And you are my everything, my Rose...my future," he confessed in return. She blushed again.

"I am afraid I do not have any experience with the physicality of love...I mean, I have read about it...but I…" she stammered, as he smiled at her innocence.

"It's all right...and if you are not ready, then we will wait," he replied.

"But I am ready...I want to be with you and here, beneath the stars, for my first time," she said.

"You're sure?" he asked and she nodded anxiously, as she gently pushed his cloak off her shoulders and he spread it out on the blankets they had acquired. Her heart quickened, as he kissed her and lowered her to the blankets, before passion consumed them.


	4. The Resistance

Chapter 4: The Resistance

What ensued that night, beneath the stars, cemented the bonds of true love between Rose Red and Fandral of Asgard, as they made love for the first time. Clothing was divested slowly, amid hot, passion filled kisses, until they were both bare.

"You are so beautiful…" he uttered, as he stared at her bare form, but he wasn't the only one doing the admiring. Her love was a strikingly handsome man; she had known that from the moment she lay eyes on him. But to see him bare like this ignited the desire in her even more. He was gorgeous, from head to toe, and everything in between. She didn't have much to compare his anatomy to, but she was positive that he was far above most men. His strong, powerful arms held her tightly, as he kissed her throat and she thrilled at the feel of his hard body against her. She explored his chiseled chest and carved abs with her hands and their eyes met, as he settled between her legs. She gazed below his waist and had to bite her bottom lip to keep a moan at bay. He was very aroused and she was as well and she knew it was time for the part that came next.

"Are you ready?" he asked in a husky voice.

"Yes…" she breathed, as he gently kissed her and then slowly pushed inside her. A sharp moan escaped her lips, as there was a bit of pain and he stilled to let her adjust to the feeling.

"Don't stop…" she urged and he began to move, slowly building a rhythm and gliding into her. Rose was soon beside herself in pleasure, as the pain faded quickly and was replaced by pure pleasure. It only got better from there, as she was soon writhing beneath her beloved and her first climax hit her. Whatever she thought it might be like was exceeded ten times over at that moment.

"Oh...ohhhhhh…" she cried loudly, as it hit her and she thrashed passionately amid his surging thrusts. He was beside himself as well and only his enhanced stamina kept him from losing control prematurely, for she felt incredible around him, so slick and tight that it was mind blowing.

He held her through her orgasm and finally reached his own, coming inside her, before they collapsed in a tangled heap. He gently covered their bare forms with a blanket and they cuddled together, exchanging soft kisses in the afterglow.

"Oh Fandral...that was...far beyond anything I could imagine," she admitted.

"For me as well…" he confessed and she blinked up at him.

"But...you have been with others," she said.

"But I have never truly been with someone I love with every fiber of my being. It truly makes all the difference," he replied.

"I love you, my handsome warrior…" she breathed.

"And I you, my sweet Rose," he said, as they melted into each other once again.

~*~

Screams of terror echoed into the night sky, as King John's army ravaged the small village and it burned brightly in the night sky. The carnage was enough to make anyone retch and bodies were strewn about, as the King took his revenge on his wayward niece. By morning, nothing but smoking cinders remained and soldiers awaited to ambush Rose Red and her love, for they knew they would hear and soon come.

~*~

After waking that morning, they ate the game they caught together and cleaned up in the creek, rather amorously, before dressing and moving on. An hour into their journey, an anxious bluebird found them and relayed his message to her.

"What is it?" he asked, as he saw the horror that was now stricken on his love's beautiful face.

"It's the village nearest the castle...it's gone. He has burned it and slain everyone!" she cried, as she collapsed into his arms, sobbing in grief.

"Oh my angel...I am so sorry…" he said, feeling helpless that there was nothing he could do to take her pain away.

"I need to see it…" she confessed.

"My love...that is likely a horrible trap," he said.

"I know...but they are my people. I must see it...I must let the other villages know that this will not stand! That I will never let my Uncle slaughter more of my people!" she cried.

"Then we will go...and we will fight," he promised, as he mounted the horse and reached down to lift her onto the animal as well. She held onto him tightly, as he took the reins and urged the horse to take them there as fast as he could.

"Is the ambush ready, Sir Hiss?" King John questioned, as he slithering adviser slipped into his Throne room.

"It is Sire...but our attack has angered the people, rather than beat them into submission. If Rose Red rallies them...then our objective could backfire," Hiss warned.

"I will not be usurped by that stupid girl and her Asgardian brute!" John snapped, as he stood up.

"This is my Kingdom!" he ranted.

"Send word to the other allied Kingdoms. Promise them whatever you have to for their assistance in our cause!" he demanded. Hiss bowed.

"Ye...yes Sire," he stammered, as he scurried away. Even if he couldn't get support from allied Kingdoms, he still had the dwarf working on something that he was certain would eliminate the problem of his niece and her Asgardian lover.

~*~

When they arrived at the village, Rose choked back tears, as she gazed at the devastation before them. The village was still smoldering and the air was filled with acrid smoke. She walked slowly into the rubble and felt something under her boot. She lifted her foot and noticed that it was part of a stuffed toy. The damn broke at that point, as she doubled over and cried. Fandral held her tightly in his arms and she sobbed against his chest.

"I'm so sorry, my angel," he whispered to her, feeling helpless since not even with all his strength and skill as a warrior could he have stopped this. She looked up at him with a tear-stained face and his reflexes were quicker than lightning, as they heard a twig snap. He unsheathed his blade and held her tightly around the waist with his other arm.

"Fandral…" she whispered, as soldiers emerged from the woods all around them.

"An ambush…" he realized, as he guarded her.

"Your time is at an end, Princess. King John has ordered your capture and the execution of your lover," one of the soldiers said.

"That will not be easy to accomplish at all," Fandral warned.

"You cannot duel us all and protect the Princess too," he goaded.

"Who says I need protecting?" Rose hissed, as she unsheathed her own sword and stood ready beside her beloved. The men charged them and they fought fiercely, taking over half of them down on their own. But the remaining soldiers slowly surrounded them.

"Surrender Rose Red...and we will spare you the pain of executing him in your presence. I am sure King John would enjoy witnessing his demise anyway," the lead soldier said.

"Fandral…" she uttered, as she realized their escape might not be possible.

"Stay close, my angel...this isn't over just yet," he assured, as he surprised the lead soldier and charged him, swiftly cutting him down. The other soldiers practically mauled him, but that was his plan.

"Run Rose!" he called, as a few of them tried to subdue her, but she picked them off with her arrows.

"I will not leave you, my love," she refuted, as she charged toward the soldiers and screamed, as one of them speared her beloved through his shoulder. It was a weak spot. He had told her of his injury in the same spot with a frost giant, during a foolhardy mission with the mighty Thor.

"FANDRAL!" she cried, as she hurried toward him, cutting down any that tried to stop her. He looked at her in awe, as she reached him and she examined his wound.

"It's minor…" he said, through the pain and she caressed his face, as the remaining soldiers surrounded them.

"Surrender now, Princess and make this easier on yourself," a soldier warned, but there was a thwacking sound, as he took an arrow to the chest and fell dead to the ground. Rose and Fandral looked at each other in confusion, as the remaining soldiers were taken down. They looked around and were ready to fight again if needed, as there would be rescuers emerged from the woods. Many of them looked to be commoners, armed with daggers, bows, and arrows. But their leader certainly stood out and Rose recognized him from stories she had heard in neighboring Kingdoms. He wore all black and was armed with a blade, but most noticeably, he wore a black eye mask over his eyes.

"Your Highness…" he said, addressing her with respect.

"I've heard of you...I didn't know if you were real. My library has many stories about you," she replied, earning a smirk from him.

"Rose...who is this?" Fandral asked.

"I am known simply as Zorro, a vigilante and fighter for the people, much like yourselves and I can no longer ignore King John's tyranny after he slaughtered this village," Zorro replied, as he and the other ragtag band of villagers bowed to her.

"I have gathered the able bodied and those willing to fight. It will not be easy, but you are the rightful Queen of this land and the people are more than fed up with your greedy Uncle," he continued.

"Fandral and I wish to take back the Kingdom from him...but it's a massive undertaking. I'm not sure I can ask my people to put their lives on the line for me," she said with uncertainty.

"You do not have to, Princess. King John must be dethroned and the people are ready to form a resistance," one of the villagers said.

"We just need your leadership," Zorro added. Fandral smirked.

"And you shall have it, for Rose is the rightful Queen and John must be dethroned," he said in agreement.

"My love...how can I be Queen? I...I am no Queen," she said dejectedly.

"That is your Uncle talking, because you, my angel, are the Queen that this Kingdom deserves," he replied, as he turned to Zorro and the makeshift band of rebels.

"And together, we will take back this Kingdom!" he announced.

"Excellent...the nearest village to here has rations waiting for us and first aid to take care of that shoulder," Zorro said, as they followed him and the other men.

"Are you sure about this? I do not know the first thing about being Queen," Rose whispered to her beloved, as they trekked along, hand in hand.

"You are kind and wise, far more than you realize. You knew who he was from your books," he pointed out, making her think for a moment.

"You rushed headlong into battle to avenge your people and when I was in peril, you let none of them stand in your way," he continued.

"You love your people and they love you. They want you as their Queen and I, for one, know that they have made the correct choice. You are willing to fight for them, which means they are willing to fight for you," he added.

"Your quiet, gentle patience and your knowledge reminds me of Queen Frigga," he said.

"Queen of Asgard," she recalled. He nodded.

"She was a great Queen...and you will be too," he said, as he kissed her tenderly and her heart fluttered. The heat rose to her cheeks, as they had arrived in the village and her romance had quickly become a popular topic. Many of the other women gave her knowing smiles and the younger girls seemed enamored by their love story. Word about them had certainly traveled fast and somehow, their love had inspired hope in her people, just as it had in her.

"Come...we need to look at that wound, my love," she urged, as she led him along to the cabin belonging to the local healer. The fight to take back the Kingdom had begun and King John's days on the Throne were numbered...


	5. Cursed

Chapter 5: Cursed

The months passed quickly in the Kingdom. Rose Red and her beloved Fandral became the Kingdom's most wanted and notorious bandits. But perhaps what angered her evil Uncle most was the people rallied around them, seeing them as a symbol of hope. Under her evil Uncle's rule, he had grown richer, while her people grew poorer and starved. And Rose was determined to change that. She and Fandral soon built a following of those willing and able to fight as well. Their small band of skilled warriors stole from the King and gave to the poor villages.

Despite living in hiding and constantly moving around to keep from being captured, Rose Red and Fandral were deeply in love and found they could not wait for a formal wedding. So under a blossoming tree, on a quiet day, one of their most trusted Knights performed their wedding ceremony. They already considered themselves married on the night they first made love and with this ceremony, they made it official. Many of their soldiers and the villagers witnessed and were overjoyed by their union.

"It is my honor to both witness and join these two in the bonds of marriage," Zorro said, as they stood beneath a cherry blossom tree that was in full bloom.

"Though our Kingdom is at war with an evil King, it is love that gives us all hope. And the people find their hope in the love they have witnessed between the two of you," he continued.

"Even the most cynical of us has been amazed by the love we have witnessed between the pair of you and we know that when we do take back this Kingdom that we will have the leadership we deserve in you," he said.

"And now, express your vows to one another and let us witness the words your hearts speak," he said, as Rose and Fandral joined hands. Some of the seamstresses in the village had surprised her by presenting her with a white dress. It was very simple and modest, but she loved it and had thanked them profusely. And to her beloved, she had never looked more beautiful. He wore his familiar Asgardian warrior dress, much to Rose's liking, for she would never want him in anything else.

"I have led the life of a warrior and been to hundreds of places. As a warrior, I resigned myself to the fact that love may not be a luxury I could afford. I was but a warrior, whose life only mattered in the sake of protecting Asgard. In many ways, I was an insignificant cog in a much larger wheel. And now I know why, for my true destiny was here. Never in my fourteen hundred years did I ever meet someone like you. Someone so kind, brave, and beautiful, inside and out," he said.

"You saved my life by bartering a favor at your own expense when you did not even know me. You are the Queen this Kingdom deserves and I will do my best, for the rest of my days, to be the husband you deserve," he continued.

"I love you...I've never been in love like this in my very long life and you are everything to me now. I feel like, despite my fourteen hundred years, I am just now beginning my life. To be your husband...it will be the greatest gift that I will ever have, my beautiful Rose," he said passionately. She sniffed and swiped a tear away.

"Fandral...before you came here, my life was very empty. I lived under my Uncle's stifling rule and though I have never been anywhere, I escaped to hundreds of worlds through my books. But I never imagined I would find myself in the greatest love story of all time," she said.

"I read many and envied them all, but I feared I would never find it. But you changed it all when you fell into my garden and awakened love in my heart. My life began that day and I love you more than I ever imagined possible," she continued.

"You're my handsome warrior, my hero, and now you'll be my beloved husband, for eternity, my warrior," she said passionately.

"There is no doubt...what we have witnessed here today is definitely true love, the likes perhaps which this Kingdom has never seen. And what we bring together today, let no one tear asunder," Zorro said.

"Do you Fandral, take thee Rose Red, to be your wife in the bonds of eternal matrimony?" Zorro asked.

"I do," he answered.

"And do you, Princess Rose Red, take Fandral of Asgard to be your husband in the bonds of eternal matrimony?" he asked.

"I do," she said, looking at him with a dreamy stare.

"Then with the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride," Zorro said, as Fandral pulled her close and kissed her passionately. Their friends erupted in cheers and they enjoyed food and drink with them for a while, before they eventually mounted Fandral's horse. There was a private campsite waiting for them nearby for their wedding night.

~*~

Their warring with the King continued until the King's forces began to dwindle and he grew desperate. But the dwarf assured the evil King that his curse would soon be ready and they would rid themselves of both Fandral and Rose Red.

"The curse is ready, my King. Once we ambush them and curse Fandral into a monstrous bear, we will push Rose Red out of this land and she will be forever lost. And without her, she can never break the curse that we place on Fandral," the dwarf said. King John smirked evilly.

"Excellent...then tomorrow, we rid ourselves of them once and for all," John declared.

~*~

The fire roared brightly, illuminating the forest clearing, but not even it burned as brightly as the passion between Rose and Fandral.

"My Rose...my sweet Rose…" he whispered to her, as he made love to her in their tent. Rose writhed beneath his hard body and cried out in pleasure.

"Fandral...my love…" she cried out, as he took her to the stars. Later, Rose rested her head atop his chest, as their skin cooled and he held her close.

"I don't know what I would do if I lost you," she mentioned.

"You're not going to lose me, my angel. Our love is unbreakable," he promised, as he kissed her softly. They slept peacefully and deeply in each other's arms that night and spent the morning making love in the nearby lake. Unfortunately, just as they were finishing breakfast back at their camp, Zorro arrived with unsettling news.

"Your Uncle has his army and the dwarf destroying a village in the northern region," he said.

"We have to stop them," Rose said, as she shouldered her quiver and grabbed her bow. Fandral sheathed his sword and took her hand, as they hurried to their horse and followed Zorro to the village.

~*~

When they arrived, half the village was on fire and people were fleeing into the mountains.

"Oh Gods…" Rose cried, as they dismounted their horse and looked around at the carnage.

"We will make them pay for this, my angel," Fandral promised, as he put his arm around her. But they heard a familiar, evil cackle.

"Oh will you?" the dwarf asked, as he emerged from the flames. Fandral extracted his sword from his sheet and leveled it at the miscreant.

"You will not take another step toward her, dwarf," he warned.

"Oh, I think you'll be too busy to worry about her, Asgardian brute," the dwarf retorted, as he used his magic to summon a fearsome dragon, which dove down on them. Fandral guarded Rose and the fleeing people from the village began screaming, as their terror began anew.

"Fandral...those people, we have to help," she said. He nodded.

"Stay here, my love...I'll deal with the dragon," he promised, as he kissed her passionately, before hurrying off to deal with the monster. The dwarf cackled, as he hurried off, while Rose began helping the other survivors, just her Uncle's carriage arrived. She stood strong, as he emerged from it with Sir Hiss and she glared at him.

"You will pay for terrorizing my people," she promised. But he only smirked in amusement.

"Oh will I? No…I'm afraid you are the one that is to pay, my dear. You and your warrior," John said. A chill slithered down her spine, as she saw that the dwarf was gone and her husband fighting the dragon in the distance. And she realized it was only a distraction.

"Fandral!" she cried, as she began running toward him. He turned and saw her, just as the dwarf appeared.

"Rose?" he said in confusion, as he turned back to the dragon, but was astonished to see it disappear and morph into a cloud of smoke.

"You're about to regret the day you crossed me and the mighty King John, Fandral of Asgard!" the dwarf cackled, as the dragon became the curse and swept over him.

"No!" Rose cried, as she watched the magic engulf her beloved and when the smoke cleared, in his place was a fearsome bear. It roared and thrashed toward the dwarf, but he used his magic to throw him into a tree, decimating it. Rose ran toward the bear and it roared at her momentarily, until she looked him in the eyes. They were still Fandral's eyes and she cautiously approached him.

"It's me, my love...and I know from all the stories I have read that true love's kiss can break any curse," she said, as she prepared to kiss the creature. But John grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

"Kill this monster, men! Before he destroys our Kingdom!" John ordered.

"No…I won't let you do this! I will break my husband's curse!" Rose protested, as she struggled against his grip.

"Oh, but you won't be around to do any of that, my dear," John said, as the dwarf used the key and opened the portal.

"Rose Red...I banish you from this Land! This is now and forever more, my Kingdom!" he hissed and she screamed, as he pushed her through the portal. The bear let out a terrible roar of anguish and was forced to flee, as the army of soldiers began hunting him.

Zorro stood with the other survivors, appalled at what had just happened.

"He has won...the King has won," one survivor lamented.

"Without Rose Red and Fandral...we have lost," another agreed.

"No...not yet," Zorro vowed.

"How do you figure that? Rose Red has been banished and without her, Fandral's curse cannot be broken and they will kill him!" another argued.

"I know Rose Red and she will not rest until she finds a way back to her beloved. So we keep fighting and we keep Fandral alive until she returns," he said. It gave some of them a sliver of hope, but the mood was very dismal on that day. Without Rose Red and Fandral, King John would continue his evil and stifling rule. True love and reuniting them was their only hope...


	6. The Land of Untold Stories

Chapter 6: The Land of Untold Stories

Upon being unceremoniously deposited in a strange land that was not her own, a panicked Rose Red tried to find help. She was in tears, for her beloved Fandral was now cursed to be a ferocious bear that would most certainly be hunted and she was separated from him. His only hope was true love's kiss and there was no way to give that to him if she wasn't even in the same realm.

So when she came upon a marketplace, she had hope that someone would help her. It was the strangest marketplace she had ever seen though and there were many strange magics she had never seen before. But as she hurried around the marketplace, asking for assistance in finding a portal, most people immediately shied away from her. She begged and pleaded with them, but no one seemingly wanted anything to do with her or a portal. She felt hope slipping away, until she collided with someone as she rounded a corner and nearly fell.

"Dear me...let me help you," the man said, as he kept her from falling. She looked up to find a bespectacled gentleman that was not much taller than her.

"No one seems to want to help me," she said tearfully.

"I heard you asking about a portal. Not many in this land wish to leave it, for they have come here to escape their former lives," he explained.

"But I must get back to my land!" she cried.

"It's all right...I shall help you. I am a Doctor and though portals are very difficult to come by, I am always up to taking on a challenge," he said with a kind smile.

"You'll help me?" she asked and he seemed to stare deeply into her emerald eyes.

"Y..yes, but first I believe you may want to tell me the whole story," he stammered.

"My husband, Fandral and I, have been fighting with my evil Uncle for control of my Kingdom for almost a year now. He's ravaged my land, pushed my people into dire poverty and stolen my birth rite. But we were fighting back and winning," she explained.

"My Uncle has an evil dwarf in his employ or some say he's a gnome, but whatever he is, he is well versed in dark magic. He has cursed my beloved into a ferocious bear and the only way to break the curse is true love's kiss," she continued.

"So naturally this gnome has found a way to send you away to a far off land so you cannot break the curse," the doctor surmised.

"Yes...now you see why I must find a way to return. Not only must I save my beloved, but Kingdom as well. My Uncle cares only of himself and the riches he has clamored away from my people with unfair taxation. I must save them," she pleaded.

"Not to worry...it won't be easy to find a portal, but nothing is impossible. I have learned that much in my time here in the Land of Untold Stories. Come...my place of employment has extra rooms and one is yours for the duration of your stay," he said.

"You'll really help me?" she asked, as he looked at her, noticing not for the first time how incredibly beautiful she was.

"Of course...but I must warn you. At my place of employ, there is a warden and you must avoid him. He is quite dangerous...you do not want to have a run in with Mr. Hyde. I am confident that we can conceal your presence from him though," he replied.

"Oh thank you...I promise to work or assist you in any way I can to repay you for your help and kindness," she said gratefully. He smiled.

"Now I could use an assistant...especially such a lovely one," he agreed, as she smiled shyly.

"I am Rose Red," she introduced herself.

"Dr. Jekyll...Henry Jekyll," he replied, as they shook hands and he led the way back to his laboratory.

~*~

Zorro led his soldiers through the woods. Since the King's treachery, the Kingdom had erupted in war. The people were losing hope, but he remained steadfast. They just needed to give Rose Red time to find her way home. And that meant protecting their Prince, Rose Red's husband, against the King's hunters until she returned.

They heard a terrible roaring in the near distance and he signaled his men.

"Stay alert and draw them away. Keep your distance, as he will not recognize you, but allow him to escape," Zorro instructed, as they moved in and began to fight the King's army. Fandral, in his cursed form, killed any of the King's soldiers that came near him and roared angrily. Fortunately, once Zorro and his men managed to push the King's soldiers back, the bear fled.

"How long can we keep this up?" one of his men questioned, as the King's soldiers retreated.

"As long as we have to," he answered.

"Rose Red is our rightful Queen...and she will return. She will find a way back to her true love and break his curse. We just have to keep him alive for her and keep our hope alive as well," he said.

~*~

That night, after Dr. Jekyll had shown her to a small living quarters he said she could stay, Rose attempted sleep. But it would not come. Only tears came, as she missed Fandral and worried endlessly. She cried uncontrollably, wondering if he was even still alive and then chided herself for losing hope so quickly. He was alive...he had to be and she would find him. She missed his arms around her and sniffed, as she looked out into the night sky. This place had very different stars than home and no moon and she sniffed. Just one night ago, Fandral was holding her in his arms and making love to her beneath a blanket of stars in the forest. And in one moment, her evil uncle and his dwarf had changed it all.

Since she knew sleep was impossible, she got up and put her cloak on, before quietly exiting the room. She padded quietly down the hall and outside the place the doctor had called the asylum. He said that there were some very disturbed patients housed there, but that she didn't have to worry, for the warden kept them in line. He had warned her that the warden was dangerous and to hide if she ever encountered him. He would probably scold her for going outside in the middle of the night, but her restlessness could not be soothed and knew fresh air might be the only solace, if any at all.

As she stepped into the garden, she admired the variety of flora and was captivated by species of flowers she did not recognize. Immediately, Fandral came to her mind again and she could only be reminded that they had met in her garden and fallen in love there as well. She burst into tears and fell to her knees, as her grief became overwhelming. So when she heard footsteps and saw a man towering over her, she felt a stab of fear. This had to be the warden that Dr. Jekyll had warned her about.

She cried out and scrambled away from him, but he put up a hand and though his face was stern, Rose did not sense malice from him.

"You need not fear me, Rose Red," Hyde spoke in his deep voice. She sniffed.

"How do you know my name?" she questioned suspiciously. He smirked. She would not be ready to hear the truth behind his identity, so he offered a different explanation.

"I am the warden...I know about everyone within these walls," he said.

"The doctor warned me that you're dangerous...that you would hurt me," she said cautiously. He smirked.

"Yet you do not run. You know evil when you see it, Rose Red. Yet you remain kind and gracious," he said.

"How do you know anything about me?" she questioned.

"Do not fear...I was not spying. There is a man here called Aesop. He used to be an author and though his time has long passed, he still has his pen and the power to chronicle all the stories in this land," he said. That intrigued Rose greatly.

"That's amazing...he's an author?" she asked with interest, as her fear seemed to melt completely away.

"Oh yes...though this is a land where the people have come to pause their stories. He gets quite bored with so little to write, so as you can imagine, your arrival gave him much excitement," he mentioned.

"Then you know of my story?" she asked.

"Yes...you seek to be reunited with your husband, so you may give him true love's kiss and break his curse," he replied.

"Will you try to stop me?" she asked.

"Never...in fact, I vow to help you," he replied, which surprised her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I am not the evil that Dr. Jekyll will have you believe," he explained.

"Yes…I have done questionable things. Perhaps even evil deeds, as well. But I am not evil. You will see that in time," Hyde said.

"Dr. Jekyll said he would help me too," she told him.

"He will try, but ultimately, the doctor will fail. He always does, because there is a darkness in him that eats him away," he said.

"A darkness?" she asked curiously.

"Yes...one that only surfaces when triggered. That is why he is here...to escape the trials that life brings. He is...incapable of living in a normal society without incident for long," Hyde warned, as he grimaced a bit, just as Rose was about to ask more questions.

"What happened to him?" she asked, but he quickly turned away.

"I must go…" he said in a strained voice.

"Please be careful, Rose Red. Things are not always what they seem," he warned, as he quickly disappeared into the shadows of the garden. Rose contemplated his words for a moment, becoming lost in the many questions she had and then jumped at a voice.

"Dear me...Rose, what are you doing out here so late?" Jekyll asked, as he appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Oh…I could not sleep. I miss my Fandral so much...and the garden reminds me of home," she said, as a smile came to her face. Jekyll felt a pulse of desire, as he gazed at her silhouette in the pale light of the stars.

"We met in my garden...and fell in love there too," she said, as she started to cry again. Jekyll instantly put his hand on her arm and offered her his handkerchief.

"Thank you," she sniffed.

"We shall find a way to return you to your beloved, but we cannot be too careful. You must not wander off, especially not at night," Jekyll said, as he led her back inside. His words made her think about the contrary things that Hyde had said and she decided to carefully prod him for more information.

"You mean from the warden?" she asked.

"Yes...you must avoid him," he replied.

"Is he really that evil?" she asked.

"Oh yes...if he sees you, he won't ask questions. He will attack you and I fear the horror he may inflict upon you just for being here," he said. But none of that had happened. Hyde had been nothing but a gentleman and even comforted her. Jekyll was attempting to comfort her too, but something about the way the doctor did it seemed...off.

"You must not wander. Promise me, Rose," he said. She nodded.

"I promise," she fibbed, as he saw her back to her room.

"Excellent…I will see you in the morning and we will begin our research," he said. She nodded, as she closed the door and went to the window again.

"I will return to you, my love...and break your curse," she promised to the stars, hoping his heart would somehow hear her words...


	7. Deception and Truth

Chapter 7: Deception and Truth

During her first week in the Land of Untold Stories, Rose Red found herself living a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde life herself. During the day, she helped Dr. Jekyll in his lab. He taught her many things about science and though he was never clear about the true purpose of the potions he was creating, he assured her that they were for the betterment of mankind. His insistence that she stay inside at night was still puzzling to her and never one to take orders, Rose Red continued her nightly trips to the gardens.

There, she met Hyde, who was always a perfect gentleman, but made her laugh. Both assured her that they were searching for a way to send her back to her land to rescue her beloved Fandral, but by the end of the second week, Rose began to question Jekyll's true motives.

He had given her many texts about portals and ways to create them to placate her and the more she pressed that her beloved was in mortal danger, the more empty promises the doctor made to her. But Hyde didn't do any of that. He was real about the chances of getting a portal, but promised to keep searching for a way to create one. He was honest that the answers for this problem would not come from any of the doctor's books. She was terrified for Fandral and constantly woke up in a cold sweat every night, from the same nightmare. The nightmare that she would be too late and he would be killed. It terrified her so much that she began having panic attacks and that would send her fleeing to the garden where Hyde would appear to help her through them.

She had hidden the fact that she saw Hyde every night from the doctor and insisted that she had only seen him the one time. She was aware of them both developing growing feelings for her. But Hyde remained a friend, while the doctor grew more erratic and possessive around her. It worried her, but she had no choice. She feared what he may do if she rejected him and that she may never get back to Fandral. So she was silent with her feelings around him and hoped that Hyde would come through for her. Because somehow she knew that Jekyll would not.

~*~

Jekyll looked over at the raven haired beauty, as she did as instructed, and added the potion to the beaker.

"Very good," he said, as he turned up the heat on the Bunsen burner a bit. The ache in him was almost unbearable now. Over the course of the last three weeks, Jekyll had fallen deeply in love with Rose Red. The thought of her leaving him now was maddening and he knew he had to slowly convince her that a portal was not possible. He felt once he led her to that conclusion, on her own, that she would accept that. Then he would pursue his feelings for her and comfort her while she grieved her husband. And then she would realize that they belonged together.

"I need some more herbs from the garden. Would you mind gathering them?" Jekyll asked and she nodded.

"Not at all," she agreed, as she left and just in time, as the Doctor felt his other half fighting to get out.

"Not now...I will not have you interfering any longer," Jekyll growled. He knew of Hyde's secret meetings with Rose in the garden and it made him livid. He knew Hyde was working on a portal for her, despite his attempts to sabotage him. But Hyde was clever and knew how to hide things from him. He was determined not to let him win this time though. Rose Red would be his. He would not be denied love again.

Hyde fought his way out and took a deep breath, as he observed the doctor's work.

"Oh Doctor...still using Rose to work on your separation serum. I will not allow your sick obsession to hurt the fairest Rose," Hyde murmured.

"Mr. Poole...please bring Rose Red to me," he said. It was a rare occasion when he was able to fight his way out during the day. A few moments later, the brute returned, dragging the young woman into the lab.

"Mr. Poole...please be gentle. She is my honored guest," he scolded, as the orderly released her arm.

"I am surprised to see you this early," Rose said, as she smiled at him. His heart ached, for Jekyll was not the only one in love with the beautiful Rose Red. But he was not like the doctor. He would not deceive her and cause her pain by allowing her husband to die. As much as he wanted her, he knew she was in love with another and could accept that, as painful as it was. He would endure his own pain of losing her if it meant she could be happy. The doctor, however, did not know love and only obsession and the thought of the doctor putting his hands on this fair creature made his blood boil. Fortunately, he was close to stopping his sabotage.

"I have been searching tirelessly for a way to send you home, but I am afraid the doctor continues to sabotage my efforts," Hyde revealed. She gasped.

"Why would he do that?" she asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hyde questioned, as he stepped closer to her.

"Jekyll is in love with you...he wishes for you to remain here in definitely," Hyde revealed.

"But I am married...I am in love with my Fandral," she protested.

"Yes, well, the Doctor thinks that you'll eventually forget about your Fandral and fall for him if you stay here long enough. He's a bit delusional that way and doesn't take rejection well," Hyde answered. Her shoulders sank, as she wondered if she would ever be reunited with her beloved and a tear slipped down her cheek. Gingerly, Hyde reached out with a gentle touch and wiped it away and they stared at each other.

"He said he would help me, but he lied. How can I know that you are not lying about helping me as well?" she asked.

"You don't...except that I know you have good instincts and right now, they are telling you that I am not the real danger," he replied.

"If that is true, then why can we not lock Jekyll away where he cannot hurt anyone?" she questioned. Hyde put a hand to his forehead, like he was in pain.

"I'm afraid that will become quite apparent in a moment. Promise me you will not tell him what I have told you...your safety depends upon it, Rose Red," Hyde pleaded. She swallowed, as she looked into his eyes. There was such affection there and she felt a warmth from him that Jekyll did not have.

"I promise, Mr. Hyde. But I don't understand…" she uttered.

"You will…" he promised and she gasped, as he started to convulse violently. She watched in horror, as Hyde became Jekyll and the doctor lay his possessive gaze on her.

"Rose...did he hurt you? Did Hyde touch you?" he asked. Before she might have thought it was in concern for her well being, but now she saw past that. His hand on her arm felt possessive and his eyes were mad with lust. She swallowed thickly and her heart thrummed rapidly in her chest. But she did as Hyde asked of her.

"N...no...he did not harm me or touch me," she responded.

"But he frightened you...oh I am so sorry," he said, as he pulled her into a hug, which surprised her. She wanted to push him away, but now she was afraid to anger him, for the real monster had been in front of her all along.

~*~

Once she finally made it back to her room that night, she burst into tears, as she stared up at the starry sky.

"Oh Fandral...how will I ever find you?" she fretted. She gasped then, as she saw a faint blue glow from a star in the sky.

"Fear not, Rose Red. You will find your beloved Fandral and break his curse with true love's kiss. Your destiny has decreed it so," a ethereal voice echoed in her mind.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Hermes...the messenger Goddess and goddess of knowledge. I cannot come to the Land of Untold Stories, for I am forbidden in lands where time does not move. But I can give you hope," she said.

"Hope?" she asked.

"Yes...you and your beloved are my champions. I have championed your family for generations and in return, they have always maintained my vast library of story, knowledge, and all the realms. But I am afraid your Uncle has been a grave disappointment," she replied.

"He is evil and has driven my people to the brink of starvation. And now…" she choked.

"Now he has cursed the man I love," she cried.

"Yes...but you will find him. Be wary of Dr. Jekyll, but Mr. Hyde is an ally. You will find Fandral, you both will defeat your Uncle, and then you will restore and protect my library," Hermes said.

"I love the library...I've longed to have the time to maintain it properly," she sniffed.

"And you will. We will meet soon. Take heart...you will fulfill all I have said," Hermes said, as the glow in the sky faded. She sniffed.

"I will find you, my love...I will always find you," she promised to the stars, hoping that somehow, he would hear her. She got into bed and imagined his arms around her and his lips kissing her passionately. Now, she was more determined than ever. No one, not even Dr. Jekyll, was going to stand in her way…

~*~

The bear rummaged and foraged, forever paranoid that he was once again being hunted. But when the bear saw no one around, it happened to look up at the sky and saw a blue glow from one of the stars. His blue eyes watered a bit and he roared a little in anguish. He missed her...he needed her to save him. He needed his precious, beautiful Rose.

~*~

Zorro dismounted his horse, as his men scouted the area. This would have to do as a place to make camp for the evening. They were close to finding Fandral and had hopes of peacefully capturing him. If they could keep him in one place, they could at least keep him safe until Rose found a way back. Suddenly, a portal opened and he saw a man standing in it.

"Do not fear...I am someone that is helping Rose Red find a way back," Hyde said.

"Rose...she is safe?" Zorro asked.

"Yes...I cannot keep this portal open for long and only have one more chance to do so. Find Fandral and in thirty minutes, I will open this portal again. You must send him through and I will get him to Rose," Hyde replied. Zorro nodded.

"We will find him," Zorro promised, as the portal closed and he mounted his horse again. There was no time to lose...


	8. Reunited

Chapter: Reunited

A few more days passed after her encounter with Mr. Hyde and he told her of Jekyll's sabotage. Her time was spent with both of them, as she searched for a portal with Hyde and then hid their work from Jekyll so he could not sabotage it. She found Hyde to be far more easy to be around than Jekyll. He was always the perfect gentleman to her and even had a sense of humor, which surprised her.

On the other end of the spectrum, Jekyll became worse. His eyes always followed her and he always found a reason to touch her. He made Rose's skin crawl, but even she could never predict how far he would go, until one unfortunate day in his lab.

She worked diligently, crushing the herbs in the bowl, as he had asked of her and resisted the urge to shiver when he insisted on watching her.

"I believe that should be good enough," she said, as she handed the bowl to him and their hands brushed.

"Yes...this will do quite nicely," Jekyll leered, as he could no longer resist and surprised her when he grabbed her and forced his lips onto hers. Her eyes widened in surprise and she pulled away.

"Doctor…" she protested, but he pulled her back and smothered her lips again.

"No…" she cried, as she pulled away, but he was stronger than she imagined. She screamed, as he forced her down onto the table, after swiping the contents away.

"Stop...please…" she pleaded tearfully, as he put his hands on her and forced his kiss on her again.

"We belong together, Rose...please, this is right! You must feel it too," he pleaded, as he found the ties on her dress. She screamed and grabbed a beaker just in her reach, before breaking it over his head. He held his head in pain and blood dripped down his face, as she ran toward the door. But she found it locked from the outside and pounded on it.

"There is no escaping, Rose," Jekyll warned, as he held up a key and then produced a syringe.

"What are you going to do?" she asked fearfully.

"Oh this won't hurt you...it will just relax you. It will help you see that we belong together...and how much I can love you," he replied, as his eyes were dark with madness and lust.

"Henry please...this isn't love! Fandral is my husband...and I must find him!" she pleaded.

"FORGET HIM!" Jekyll screamed, frightening her further, as she tugged on the handle of the door. But as she felt a pin prick, as he injected her with whatever concoction he had decided to use to take out the fight in her. Tears slipped down her cheeks, as she felt woozy and he caught her, before she could fall. He lay her down on a cot in the corner of the room and hovered over her. Finally...he was going to have what he wanted. Her vision blurred and she could barely move.

"Please...don't do this…" she begged.

"Shh...everything will be fine, you'll see," he assured, as he started to unzip her dress. But that's when there was a sharp pain in his head. He pulled back and held his head in agony.

"Not now…" he pleaded, but Hyde fought his way out and looked upon what the doctor had done in horror.

"Rose...ROSE!" he cried, as he cradled her in his arms.

"Hyde…" she whimpered tearfully.

"You...you stopped him," she cried in relief and he hugged her close.

"Oh Rose...I am so sorry," he said. She started to sob almost uncontrollably then.

"I'm never going to see Fandral again...and next time Jekyll surfaces…" she cried, thinking about what he had almost done and how he might succeed next time.

"No...he will not touch you again," Hyde said, as he found the antidote to the drug he had given her and administered it. A few moments later, Rose's head cleared and she hugged him tightly.

"You saved me…" she choked out.

"And I can soon reunite you with your Fandral…" he said. Her eyes widened.

"How?" she asked.

"I managed to open a portal during my last attempt. I couldn't hold it open long enough to send you through, so I did the next best thing and brought the bear here," Hyde revealed.

"Fandral is here?" she exclaimed. He nodded.

"Jekyll surfaced though and stopped me from telling you. Fandral is still cursed and Jekyll sent some hunters after him. But if we can get there first, you can break his curse," Hyde said. She beamed at him and hugged him tightly. He returned the hug and tried to ignore his breaking heart. He loved her too...but he was not like Jekyll and knew that loving her meant letting her go.

"Let's go…" she suggested, as they hurriedly left the compound together…

~*~

The muscles in her legs burned in protest, as she and Hyde ran beyond the marketplace and into the vast woods surrounding the asylum. Her heart pounded in her chest and her breathing was ragged, but she would not stop, for the life of her beloved hung in the balance. Hyde pulled her along, as he could run much faster and cover greater lengths with his longer legs. She heard a ferocious roar in the distance and the sound of arrows thwacking into what she could only hope were trees.

They finally reached the next clearing, where three hunters had a monstrous looking bear cornered.

"STOP!" Rose pleaded, as they threaded their arrows again. But she was ignored. Hyde stepped forward.

"You will call off your arrows now," he ordered.

"You may rule the asylum, warden, but out here...this is our domain," one of them spat in return. Hyde advanced and the man shot an arrow, which was easily caught by the former and broken in half like nothing.

"If you do not want to find yourselves locked up in my asylum, then you will stand down," he growled. The three of them backed away, as Rose cautiously approached the bear.

"Fandral…" she uttered.

"That wench is crazy!" one of the hunter's exclaimed, capturing the bear's attention, as it growled.

"The next word any of you utter will be your last if you speak again," Hyde threatened, silencing them.

"Fandral...please…" Rose pleaded. The bear looked at her intently and slowly sat back on his haunches. She smiled.

"Yes Fandral...it's me," she said softly. She heard Hyde grimace behind her and hold her head.

"Rose...you must break the curse. Hurry…" he pleaded, as Jekyll started to fight his way out. She turned back and saw the bear gazing at her with a tenderness.

"You'll need this...to escape back to your land! I...acquired it for you," Hyde bit out, as he struggled to get the words out and tossed the ornate looking key at her feet. She picked it up and looked back at the bear, just as Jekyll emerged.

"No...kill it!" he ordered, as the hunters raised their bows. But Rose's lips touched the bear's nose and a wave of rainbow magic exploded forth from them. There was a blinding flash then, as the bear morphed into a humanoid form, breaking the curse on Fandral and returning him to his true state.

"Rose…" he breathed. Tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Fandral…" she squeaked, as he took her in his arms again at last.

"No...Rose, we belong together!" Jekyll pleaded. She looked at him with fear and tears in her eyes, as she clung to her beloved.

"Rose...who is this?" Fandral asked.

"He is someone I thought was a friend...but turned out to be a monster," she answered.

"Hyde is the monster! He's turned you against me, please Rose!" Jekyll pleaded, as he stepped toward them. In a move that was almost faster than the eye could see, Fandral brandished his sword and kept the doctor at bay. But the look in Jekyll's eyes was pure madness.

"Shoot him!" the doctor ordered the hunters. They raised their bows, but Fandral expertly blocked all the arrows with his sword.

"You'll have to do better than that against an Asgardian, gents," Fandral commented, as Rose used the key Hyde had given her and a glowing doorway appeared.

"My love…" she called, as he took her hand and they fled through the door, leaving the crazed doctor behind. Jekyll let out a cry of anguish and frustration.

The door opened and deposited them back in their homeland and Rose nearly collapsed in relief against her husband.

"Oh Rose…" he uttered, as he swept her into his arms and spun her around.

"You saved me...again!" he exclaimed, but noticed the haunted look in her eyes.

"I've missed you…" she cried brokenly, as he held her tightly.

"Oh my angel...what has happened? Who was that man? Did he hurt you?" Fandral asked, with an edge in his voice at the last question. If that bespectacled man had hurt her, then he would use that key to return and avenge his beloved.

"No...he tried. It's a long story, but I'm fine," she assured him, but he didn't look convinced.

"Please my love...I finally have you back and that is all I need," she promised, as he pulled her close again.

"I want you to tell me everything that has happened," he said, as he cupped her beautiful face in his hands.

"There will be no bottling your feelings on this...I'm here now. You saved me and I shall save you from the emotional turmoil that I sense in you, my darling Rose," he added. A few tears slipped down her cheeks and she relished his embrace, almost wondering if she was dreaming. The last few months without him had been excruciating, especially the cold nights. But that was over now and she knew that everything she had gone through was worth it for him. And now she could take comfort in him.

"I will tell you everything...but right now I just want you to hold me and kiss me," she requested and he gladly obliged, as he held her flush against him and kissed her with wanton passion.

"And I want to find a quiet place to camp for the night under the stars and then I want my husband to make love to me," she added desperately when their lips parted. And she wasn't surprised when he swept her into his arms like she weighed nothing and carried her off into the forest.

~*~

"Sire!" Sire!" Sir Hiss cried, as he slithered into the Throne room and saw his King lounging about the Throne, making a servant feed him grapes.

"Ugh...what is it, Hiss?" he asked. Things had been blissful for him since he had finally gotten rid of his troublesome niece and her Asgardian lover. His army was forcing the villages into submission one by one, Rose Red was lost in another world, and he had just received word from one of his battalions that they were closing in on the beast. Fandral would soon be dead.

"Sire...I have news from the front lines," Hiss said.

"Is it that Asgardian brute? Is he dead finally? Did they bring me the bear head?" he questioned rapidly.

"I...I am afraid not, sire," Sir Hiss stammered.

"Well, then what!?" he demanded to know.

"I...I am afraid Zorro helped the bear through a portal to the...Land of Untold Stories," Hiss said and winced, as his King exploded in rage.

"WHAT!?" he cried.

"I'm afraid so, sire. Rose Red and Fandral, in his human form, were spotted coming through a portal," Hiss reported and John proceeded to throw a giant tantrum.

"Find them! I want them dead! This is my Kingdom! Mine!" he cried, as he collapsed in his Throne and began sucking his thumb. It was clear that King John's time on the Throne would soon come to an end...


	9. Return of the Queen

Chapter 9: Return of the Queen

Rose rested her head against her husband's back, listening to his heartbeat, as their horse galloped along the forest path. She wasn't even sure how long it had been since they returned and she didn't care.

They made it to a clearing and spotted Zorro awaiting them. Fandral brought the horse to a halt and dismounted, before reaching up and lifting Rose down.

"It does my heart good to see that you're both okay," he said, as he bowed to Rose out of respect. But she surprised him by giving him a hug.

"Thank you...thank you for helping Fandral get through that portal. We may have never been reunited otherwise," she said tearfully.

"It was my honor, my Queen," Zorro replied, as he and Fandral shared a handshake.

"The people have renewed hope now that the news of your return has spread. King John is livid and has mobilized his army. But he has been caught off guard. We think the time to strike is near," he reported.

"Then that's what we shall do," Fandral agreed.

"I thought so...our army is preparing to move on the palace at dawn with the both of you there to lead us," Zorro replied.

"This could be it then…" Rose said.

"Yes...but until dawn, the people took the liberty of setting up a campsite for the both of you for tonight," Zorro said, as they saw the tent waiting for them, along with some food and water awaiting.

"Thank you, we'll see you in a few hours and we will take back this Kingdom," Fandral said. Zorro nodded and left, leaving them alone.

Fandral put his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

"Come...I'll build us a fire and we can eat, while you tell me all about this Land of Untold Stories," he said, as he began to get the fire going.

"Well...when I first was deposited in that land, I kept trying to get help, but the moment I mentioned a portal, the people shied away from me," she replied.

"How peculiar," he mentioned.

"Mmm…I thought so too, but then I met Dr. Jekyll. He was kind at first and told me that this strange land was a place where people came to pause their lives and none had any interest in a portal of any kind," she explained.

"I have been to many lands...but never imagined one where time was stagnant," he said. She nodded.

"It was very odd. Anyway, the doctor said he would help me, but that finding a portal would not be easy. Then he warned me about the warden," she said.

"The Warden? The Hyde fellow that helped you?" he asked. She nodded again.

"Jekyll insisted he was extremely dangerous and that I had to avoid him at all costs. But it was really Hyde that was the kind one," she replied, as she shuddered.

"My love...what did this Jekyll do to you?" he asked.

"He didn't get that far if that's what you're asking. He almost did...but Hyde stopped him," she replied.

"Then I owe him a debt that I shall never be able to repay. He protected you when I could not," Fandral said.

"Yes...and I will always be grateful to him. But I have you back now and I don't wish to talk about that mad doctor anymore," she replied. He smiled and kissed her tenderly.

"Then we will not. That is now the past and I have a feeling we have a very bright future," he said, as the fire now roared before them.

"Me too...and I want nothing more than to be in your arms now," Rose pleaded. He smiled.

"Then that's what you shall have," he said, as he pulled her flush against him and gazed at her with so much love that it made her knees go weak. He kissed her passionately and she slipped her arms around his neck.

"There was a time when I feared I may never feel your arms around me again," she confessed.

"My dreams were haunted with images of you being slain and those nights were cold and empty," she added.

"I know, my love...but know that I vow that we will never be separated again," he promised.

"Yes...and now we have some time to make up for," she said sultrily, as she led him to their tent by the hand.

~*~

Flashback

"Fear not, Rose Red. You will find your beloved Fandral and break his curse with true love's kiss. Your destiny has decreed it so," a ethereal voice echoed in her mind.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Hermes...the messenger Goddess and goddess of knowledge. I cannot come to the Land of Untold Stories, for I am forbidden in lands where time does not move. But I can give you hope," she said.

"Hope?" she asked.

"Yes...you and your beloved are my champions. I have championed your family for generations and in return, they have always maintained my vast library of story, knowledge, and all the realms. But I am afraid your Uncle has been a grave disappointment," she replied.

"He is evil and has driven my people to the brink of starvation. And now…" she choked.

"Now he has cursed the man I love," she cried.

"Yes...but you will find him. Be wary of Dr. Jekyll, but Mr. Hyde is an ally. You will find Fandral, you both will defeat your Uncle, and then you will restore and protect my library," Hermes said.

"I love the library...I've longed to have the time to maintain it properly," she sniffed.

"And you will. We will meet soon. Take heart...you will fulfill all I have said," Hermes said, as the glow in the sky faded. She sniffed.

"I will find you, my love...I will always find you," she promised to the stars, hoping that somehow, he would hear her.

~*~

"Incredible…I did hear you, by the way. Even in that form, I had a bit of awareness, at least when it came to you, my angel," Fandral said, as he held her in his arms. They were cuddled together beneath several blankets, and their skin still glowed in the aftermath of a bout of powerful lovemaking. She rested her head against his chest, their bodies blissfully entwined, and she kissed his chest, as she looked up at him.

"It gave me hope that I would find you and I have always felt that my true purpose was to maintain the library. I knew it was important, but no idea how important until now," she said.

"Can you imagine? A library that contains all the stories from infinite realms?" she asked.

"It is quite extraordinary, though it really comes as no surprise to me that an actual Goddess would want to champion someone so incredible such as you, my beautiful Rose," he said, making her smile shyly.

"She is championing us, my love. I could do none of this without you," she replied.

"And you will never have to," he promised, as their lips met again and passion consumed them once more.

~*~

That morning, at dawn, Rose and Fandral arrived at the nearest village and were met with cheers by their small, yet mighty resistance.

"As you can see, hope has returned," Zorro said.

"Yes...and the time has finally come," Fandral agreed, as he stepped forward.

"King John has abused our land and the people for too long. His latest strike against our rightful Queen cannot go unpunished. It is time we take back this Kingdom!" Fandral called, rallying everyone to the fight with cheers. He turned and smiled at his beloved, who was definitely feeling shy from all the attention.

"My darling Rose Red is the Queen we deserve. Only under her rule can we prosper," he said, further rallying their warriors.

"The time now...King John's reign ends today when we take back our Kingdom!" Fandral shouted, which was met with vigorous cheering. Rose gazed up at him with love and admiration in her eyes.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"With you by my side...I am ready for anything," she replied, as they mounted his horse and they began the ride to the palace.

~*~

King John sat in the chair, fidgeting uncomfortably, as he wore a red velvet robe, his most heavy and elaborate crown and various other jewels. The painter responsible for trying to paint his portrait didn't dare say a word to the King about his movement though and tried to continue his work.

"Ugh...how much longer is this going to take! I'm getting hungry," John complained, as Sir Hiss slithered into the room.

"Sire…" he said nervously.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently.

"We have received word from your Generals on the front line," he replied.

"Is she dead yet? Did they bring me her and that brute's heads?" he asked with anticipation.

"Uh no Sire...I'm afraid not," Hiss replied.

"Well, then why did you interrupt me!?" John shouted.

"Because Sire...our defenses have fallen to Rose Red's band of misfit soldiers, led by Fandral," Hiss said and winced for what was coming.

"WHAT!?" John exclaimed in rage.

"I'm sorry Sire, but I am afraid they are headed for the palace as we speak," Hiss said with a quiver in his voice.

"Then stop them! Get our defenses ready!" John demanded.

"We have Sire, but the majority of our army was either killed or has surrendered," Hiss reported.

"That's impossible! There is no way my retch of a niece and her pathetic band of villagers stands any chance against my mighty army!" he ranted.

"Sire…I'm afraid the villagers are more adept and skilled than our soldiers anticipated. It would seem that Zorro at the behest of Fandral has trained them well. And Fandral's might alone is...too much for even our greatest warriors," Hiss said regrettably.

"Your praise and admiration for Fandral are noted, Sir Hiss!" John snapped angrily.

"Dwarf! Dwarf! Where are you!?" he shouted, as the evil little minion appeared.

"I have told you...I am not a dwarf! I am a gnome!" he said irritably.

"Like it matters!" John snapped back.

"You promised me that your curse would work! You promised me I would be rid of Rose Red and her Asgardian brute forever!" John complained.

"It would seem I did not anticipate her receiving help from someone in the Land of Untold Stories...a man called Hyde is responsible for seeing to their reunion and ultimately true love's kiss breaking the curse," the gnome said.

"I don't care about your excuses!" John shouted, as he literally stomped up and down like a child throwing a tantrum.

"This is my Kingdom! Do something with your magic!" he demanded.

"Very well, Sire...but I expect a mountain of gold in return! And not that paltry reward I received the last time I helped you!" the dwarf replied.

"If you kill Rose Red and bring Fandral to his knees...you will have your gold," John promised.

"Then it will be done," the gnome promised, as he disappeared.

~*~

Their army, along with new members, once belonging to John's army, arrived on the hill overlooking the castle. Rose was stunned to see that it had fallen into such disarray and how her beloved garden was dead and full of weeds.

"He will pay for this, my love. We shall make it right," Fandral promised. She nodded and turned to their army.

"This is the final stand. We will win this and take back what belongs to us," Rose announced, easily rallying them on the adrenaline from their earlier victory alone. More than half of John's army had sworn allegiance to Rose and Fandral in exchange for their lives. It wasn't a hard decision for most of them, for they were poorly treated and paid in John's service.

"The time is now...we begin our final march on the castle!" Fandral called, as they continued on their path toward the liberation of the entire Kingdom...


	10. A Kingdom Restored

Chapter 10: A Kingdom Restored

"Hurry up Hiss! Get as much as you can!" John cried in a panicked tone, as he attempted to get as much gold and jewels from the treasure room into a travel case as he could.

"Sire...trying to carry this much gold will slow us down considerably," Hiss warned.

"It's my gold! And I'm taking it! I won't let that little retch give it to the filthy villagers!" John cried, as he threw another tantrum.

"Yes Sire…" Hiss said in exasperation. Together, with no small amount of effort, they attempted to carry a large chest out through the back entrance to the palace. He felt Hiss stall though and turned, wondering why he had stopped.

"Why are you stopping? We need to go!" John urged, as Hiss looked beyond him so he turned to see what he was looking at, only to find Fandral in his path, along with Rose Red and their army.

"The gold in that chest belongs to the people," Rose said, as she pointed her blade at them. Hiss cried out and put his hands up, dropping his end of the chest. John cried out in pain, as it fell on his foot and he launched into another tantrum, which continued with him sucking his thumb. Fandral shook his head in amusement, as John once again made a fool of himself.

"Dwarf! Dwarf! Where are you!?" he cried out.

"Oh, do you mean this bloke here?" Fandral asked, as he set the stone statue of the dwarf down in the garden.

"What? What did you do to him!?" John cried.

"You didn't think we'd be ready for him this time?" Rose asked.

"Yes...he hurled a spell at us and we reflected it back at him. The result was his own demise," Fandral replied, as John and Hiss were placed in shackles by their men.

"You can't do this! This is my Kingdom!" John complained.

"Wrong...this was never your Kingdom. You ruled when I was too young to do so and then conspired to steal everything from me!" Rose snapped.

"You let the library fall into horrible disarray and for that alone, you should be punished," she added.

"You taxed the people to death and stole all their hard earnings. This gold will now be returned rightfully to them," Fandral agreed.

"The people have chosen Rose Red as their Queen and you have just been dethroned, John," Zorro said.

"Take them to the dungeon," Fandral ordered, as they were taken away, with John kicking and screaming. Rose sighed, as he slipped his arm around her waist and she leaned her head against his chest. They had done it. The Kingdom was theirs and though there was still so much to do, for tonight, they would rest.

~*~

"So it's happened...Rose Red has regained her Throne," the aging man said. He was the Duke of Andresia and his family had long served the crown of Andresia. Yet his family's hopes and aspirations of gaining the crown themselves had never come to fruition. However, under King John, his family had grown even wealthier and powerful. He was a greedy, reckless King and it had allowed them much power behind the scenes and opportunities to take from the royal coffers as they pleased.

"Relax Renard...she may become Queen, but she is still young and naive. She'll be easy to manipulate," his wife, the Duchess, said. Unlike his portly appearance, she was very thin, even bony in appearance, with sharp features, making her look quite homely.

"But her husband could be a problem, Silvia. He is an outsider and has wisdom in his considerable years. Not to mention, he is nearly impossible to take down by force," he replied.

"Then we endear ourselves to them and work quietly in the background. Tomorrow, we meet our new Queen and we must gain her acceptance," Silvia replied and he couldn't disagree. Their way of life and continued tenure in power depended on it.

The palace staff was overjoyed once Rose and Fandral returned to the castle, especially with the news that they had taken back the Kingdom and John was in a prison cell where he belonged.

The servants and staff eagerly presented them with a large chambers, ready for them, with fresh linens and flowers from the garden. The room was also chosen specifically since it overlooked the gardens. The gardens needed serious attention, but Rose welcomed that work to come, just like she was eager to work to restore the library.

But for tonight, Rose and Fandral were relaxing together in their victory. So when she came out of the washroom, in a long, sexy red nightgown, she wasn't surprised to see her husband ready with a bottle of fine wine from the cellar. He had shed his shirt, much to her delight.

"I can't believe we did it…" Rose said in awe, as they looked out the window at their sprawling Kingdom. There was much work to be done, but this was the start of what she felt would be a wonderful, happy life together.

"There were times it seemed impossible, but we did it, my angel," he said, as they toasted and enjoyed a glass of wine together. Rose rested her head against him, reflecting on everything they had been through.

"And this is just the beginning," he agreed, as he kissed her tenderly. Their passion became overwhelming and it was a surprise when he swept her into his arms, before carrying her to their new bed.

~*~

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of happenings and developments in their Kingdom. Preparations for Rose's official coronation ball were underway and complete renovations of the palace were being done. John had let everything fall into terrible disarray.

Rose split her time between the gardens and the library with her staff. The garden quickly flourished under her watchful care and the entire, vast library, though it took weeks, was clean and dusted. Organizing it was years of work ahead, but it was a task that Rose relished.

While she did that, Fandral had his own task of training and developing a strong military. Though John wasn't much of a threat, he knew better than most, that there would always be threats out there and they could come from unexpected places. He devoted his time to making sure their Kingdom would be protected from outside threats, as well as inside threats. And on that afternoon, he would walk in on a very real threat on the inside and see his beautiful wife handle it with the prowess of a true Queen.

"Your Majesty...I knew your parents well," the Duke said, gesturing to their portrait, which had been returned to its rightful place in the Throne room now that John's had been removed.

"And while what you are proposing is an amazing humanitarian effort, it will ultimately bankrupt the Kingdom," the Duke said. He bristled when he heard that. This man was talking down to his beloved and chiding her as if she was a naive child. He was about to interject with indignation, but wouldn't have to.

"You mean bankrupt your special interest projects that do little for the people and launder what should be charity money right back into your own pocket?" Rose asked, stunning him and the Duchess to speechlessness. Well...almost speechlessness.

"Your Majesty...surely you are not accusing us of such heinousness," the Duchess replied in aghast.

"Oh I don't know...if I were to have an audit done of your financials, would I find anything to back up my accusations?" Rose asked, silencing them further. He smirked, knowing that this silence spoke volumes. He came to stand beside her Throne and she looked up at him with a smile.

"You have a choice," she stated.

"Your considerable wealth is largely made up of the unfair taxation that was pressed upon them by my evil Uncle.

"What was unfairly taken from the people by all will be returned to them. You can choose to repent and actually serve the people in your posts or you can choose imprisonment," she said, stunning them.

"If you choose the former, know that you will be monitored closely by aides appointed by me personally to ensure there is no corruption," she continued.

"I remember enough about my parents to know that they would have never tolerated your treason. And probably would have just removed you. I am giving you a chance to be better. Capitulate or go to prison. Those are your generous choices, considering what you have done to the people under my Uncle's rule," she said sternly. Fandral smirked at the looks on their faces and he couldn't help but add to their misery.

"Kingdom of Andresia...our benevolent, wise, and beautiful Queen, Rose Red," he said reverently, as he bowed to her and kissed her hand.

"I think you can do better than to kiss your Queen's hand, my handsome warrior," she said. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately and almost indecently in front of their captive audience. She smiled dreamily at him when their lips finally parted.

"Um...that will be all, Duke and Duchess," Rose said, as she dismissed them and her husband kissed her again.

"Well…I see you are taking quite well to your new Throne," a voice said, as the couple parted their lips and found a dark skinned woman before them, wearing a light blue shimmering gown.

"Are you…" Rose started to say. The woman smiled kindly.

"Your intuition serves you well, Rose Red. I am Hermes," she replied.

"We are honored to meet you, Goddess," Fandral said, as he bowed respectfully.

"Oh please...no bowing necessary, at least, not from my champions," Hermes said, as she waved her hand and they reappeared in the library.

"I know...it's in a sad state," Rose said nervously.

"That's not your fault and I see you've already had it cleaned. That in itself is an undertaking," Hermes said.

"I am very eager to make this library something to be proud of again," Rose replied. Hermes smiled.

"And I know that you will and that your love and commitment to each other will extend to your commitment to your duties to the library and your people. My niece is usually the one that champions true love and I champion knowledge. But it is good to know that my champions just happen to share a powerful true love as well," the Goddess explained.

"We will strive to bring prosperity to this Kingdom and due diligence to this library," Fandral promised. Hermes smiled.

"I know you will and I'll see you at your coronation, Your Majesties," she said.

"You're coming to the coronation?" Rose asked in surprise.

"Of course...and I'll be dropping by plenty from time to time," she promised. They smiled at her.

"We look forward to it," Fandral said, as Hermes disappeared.

"I shouldn't be surprised, you know," he said.

"Surprised by what, my love?" she asked.

"That a Goddess would choose you to champion. It makes perfect sense," he replied, as she looked down shyly. He caressed her cheek and kissed her tenderly. As their lips parted, he happened to look up and spotted a book on one of the shelves they were standing beside.

"Can it be?" he asked, as he picked up the book.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's an Asgardian history book...yes, it's all here," he replied, as he flipped through it.

"It's a beautiful language...can you read it to me?" she asked.

"If you'd like," he replied. She nodded.

"I want to know everything. We haven't had much time, but now we do and I want to know it all," she said. He smiled.

"Well...then we better get started," he said, as took her hand and they made their way up to their chambers for the evening...


	11. And They Lived, Pt 1

Chapter 11: And They Lived, Pt 1

Rose cuddled against him in bed, as he read stories of Asgard's history to her and she was enthralled by it.

"Asgard has such a rich history...it's all so fascinating," she mentioned.

"Indeed, but I am sure Andresia's history is rich as well. I'd like to know about my new home too," he said. She smiled.

"Well, then tomorrow night, we can read about Andresia," she replied, as he kissed her forehead.

"Tell me about your parents...you don't speak about them much," he said, as she looked up at him.

"I don't remember much, unfortunately. They died when I was six...but from what I do remember, they were both very kind," she replied.

"My father was King Richard and my mother Queen Penelope. They struggled to conceive and said I was their miracle baby," she continued.

"I concur about you being a miracle," he said, making her smile.

"Mother loved the gardens and the library. Father too, especially the library. He read to me every night about far off worlds and told me that I would find true love like in the stories he read to me," she said.

"I doubted him for a while when John was in control...but he was right. I found true love," she said and then frowned.

"They died on a trip to a neighboring Kingdom in the mountain region. Out of nowhere, a terrible snow storm developed and they were killed in an avalanche on the mountain pass," she said sadly.

"I'm so sorry…" he said.

"It was a long time ago...but John wasted no time moving in on the Throne since I was too young to rule," he replied.

"Well...he's gone now. He'll never hurt us again," he promised, as they shared a kiss.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" he asked.

"I don't know...I didn't think I'd ever be Queen. It's intimidating," she replied.

"You are a natural...look at the way you handled that foolish Duke and his wife," he reminded her.

"I suppose...I'm just glad I will not be ruling alone," she said.

"Well, I will leave the diplomacy to you, my angel, but I will excel in commanding our armed forces," he replied. She smiled.

"I know you will, my handsome warrior," she purred, as they shared another kiss and she straddled his waist. He looked up at her with sheer awe and reverence, as she reached over and turned the lantern down, as their love consumed them whole.

~*~

The palace was bustling with activity, as most of the Kingdom was in attendance on this special occasion. On this very night, Andresia was throwing a grand coronation for Rose Red and crowning her as Queen.

Fandral waited at the top of the sprawling staircase for them to be announced. He was wearing a custom made version of his familiar Asgardian armor, only a much more formal version. He turned his head and saw Rose approaching in an incredible red, glittering ball gown, complete with a tiara atop her head.

"Oh Rose…" he uttered.

"You don't think it's too bold?" she asked, almost shyly.

"No...you look so incredibly beautiful and you never fail to take my breath away," he replied, as he offered his arm and she hooked her hand on his elbow, as he led her down the stairs

"Kingdom of Andresia, presenting our new royals. Prince Fandral and our Queen, Rose Red!" it was announced, as they were warmly received by their people and the coronation and ball commenced.

In the first two years of their rule, many changes were made that benefited the people. Rose abolished John's high taxes and launched a Kingdom wide rebuilding project. She rejuvenated rundown villages and invested in their markets, so they could produce more of their own goods and export less from outside Kingdoms. This helped the villages thrive and close the wealth gap.

The library was now well organized and kept, despite the fact that new books appeared almost constantly. She didn't mind that work at all though and enjoyed the endless upkeep.

But those weren't the only changes in their lives and soon they found themselves welcoming a new addition to the royal family.

~*~

Rose cried out in pain and squeezed her husband's hand, while the midwife helped her birth their first child. Fandral dabbed her forehead with a cool cloth.

"You're doing amazing, my angel…" he said, as she looked at him.

"I love you," she breathed.

"I love you," he said.

"The baby's head is crowning, Your Majesty...this will be a big push," the midwife instructed. Rose nodded and breathed, before pushing and crying out as she did so, while Fandral held her. Rose fell back against him after the big push and he wiped her brow again.

"Okay...you're almost there, Your Majesty. Just one more really big push," the midwife instructed.

"I can see the head...you're almost there, my love," he urged and she cried out once more, as she pushed again. There was a cry from their newborn, as she fell back against him in exhaustion.

"Ohh…" she uttered, as they watched the midwife clean the baby off and wrap her in a blanket.

"Congratulations, Your Majesties, you have a baby girl," the midwife said, as she was placed in Rose's arms. Fandral was speechless, as he stared down at the tiny bundle in awe.

"Oh Fandral...she's beautiful," Rose gushed. Any pain that she had gone through had been forgotten, as she held their child.

"She is...she's perfect," he croaked, as emotions threatened to overwhelm him. As a warrior, he never really entertained the possibility of having this and he felt incredibly blessed that everything he had gone through had led him to this life.

"Carina…we should call her Carina," Rose said. He smiled.

"That's perfect," he agreed, as he sat beside her and marveled at their baby. They looked at each other and shared a tender kiss. This was another new beginning for them.

~*~

Time, as it always does, passed quickly. Rose and Fandral presented their daughter to the Kingdom when she was just a few weeks old and the people rejoiced, relishing in

their bright future. Rose and Fandral watched her grow with absolute joy. They continued to rule the Kingdom together and maintain their library. Carina learned to read very early on, but gladly let her parents read to her every night. Hermes visited often and even revealed to them that Heimdall knew he was still alive and not much time had passed in Fandral's home world. Hermes informed them that they could travel to the edge of realms if they ever needed to make contact. So they arranged a trip there to do just that.

They came through the tunnel and into the splendor that was the edge of realms.

"This is beautiful," Rose said, as he helped her and their five-year-old off their horse.

"Yes...truly gorgeous," he agreed, as a rainbow colored stream of light was suddenly before them and Heimdall appeared.

"Heimdall…" Fandral said.

"So you live...and much has changed for you, I see," he said. Fandral nodded with a smile.

"This is my wife...Queen Rose Red and our daughter Carina," he said, as she bowed.

"It's an honor to meet you, Heimdall. I have read all of Asgard's history and you are a hero. Carina enjoys your stories too," she said. He gave a rare smile.

"The honor is all mine, Your Majesty," he said, as he looked at the tiny girl in her arms.

"Hello little one," he said.

"I was hoping...of news from Asgard," Fandral replied.

"I am afraid Asgard has been destroyed, but fortunately, so has Hela with it. Thor is leading our survivors to Earth to settle," he informed.

"I suppose Volstagg and Hogun were not as lucky as I?" he asked.

"I am afraid not. They have perished," Heimdall replied.

"Does Thor know of my survival?" Fandral asked.

"No...and I believe it is best to keep that a secret for now. It is still a very tumultuous time in our universe and I cannot in good conscience do anything that might jeopardize your family," he advised. He nodded.

"I agree...thank you Heimdall," he said. He nodded.

"Call if you should need me again and I will answer your summon," he replied, as he bowed to Rose Red again.

"Goodbye Heimdall," she said.

"Bye bye!" Carina called. He smiled softly at the child.

"Goodbye little one," he said, as he disappeared through the bi-frost again. They shared a smile and joined hands, as they prepared to return to Andresia.

Little did they know, they would see him again soon and it would send their family on an adventure like none other...


	12. And They Lived, Pt 2

Dashing Rose: A Finding You Always Vignette

Chapter 2: And They Lived, Pt. 2

The Forests of Andresia

Aladdin looked around and let out a frustrated yell.

"Aladdin..." Cassim chided.

"I can't believe this! That was our last bean!" he cried.

"Then we'll acquire another," Cassim reasoned.

"How? We don't even know if we're in a realm that has them! Another bean wasted and we're in another damn forest!" Aladdin exclaimed.

"Son...take it from someone who has been hopping realms for ages. There's always a way out to another," Cassim reasoned. The younger man sighed.

"In the meantime, we left our Enchanted Forest, where might I add, not only is there no trace of Jasmine, but Agrabah as well!" he said in frustration.

"We will find out what happened," Cassim assured.

"How? How does an entire city just disappear?" Aladdin lamented.

"I don't know, son. But I do know that we will find a way back to Storybrooke and then I know that Xander and his family will be able to help us," Cassim assured, as they continued on through the forest.

"Halt...you are trespassing on the King's land!" a Knight called, as he and several of them surrounded the two Agrabah natives.

"Great...not exactly the warm welcome we were hoping for," Aladdin quipped. They were about to try and fight their way out when an arrow sailed through the air and landed in the tree behind them.

"This is no longer your disgraced King's land," a female voice declared.

"It's her...the King's traitorous niece!" the lead Knight hissed, as he advanced on the woman in the white cloak. But he would never make contact, for a sword cut him down like nothing. The other Knights suffered the same fate by this sword, as this figure expertly did away with them all without breaking a sweat. The hood of her cloak fell to her shoulders and the hood of his dark cloak did as well. Aladdin's eyes widened.

"Snow? David?" he asked in confusion, as the man sheathed his sword and looked at the woman.

"I am afraid you're mistaken. I am Fandral, Prince Consort of this land and this...beautiful, fair creature is my wife, Queen Rose Red," he announced with reverence. Cassim and Aladdin exchanged a glance.

"Forgive us...you both look like friends of ours in another land," Cassim stated.

"Ah...visitors from another land. I was once the same as you and was shown great kindness by my beloved. I shall do the same for you," Fandral said, as he took Rose's hand and motioned them to follow.

"Thank you...I'm afraid we're not looking to stay long though. We have been traveling the realms in search of a specific one. But I'm afraid we no longer have any magic beans," Aladdin revealed. Rose and Fandral exchanged a glance.

"We know of many texts we acquired from an evil gnome we vanquished. He had information on many realms. You are welcome to them and there might be something that can help you find what you need," Rose offered.

"We would be most grateful," Cassim agreed, as they followed the couple back to their castle.

~*~

The massive palace doors swept open upon their return and the castle staff milled about, all going about their duties, as Rose and Fandral led Aladdin and Cassim through their atrium.

"You are most gracious to offer us such hospitality," Cassim said, as he gave a curt bow.

"My Kingdom has seen great strife in the past and we both know what it's like to lose our homes," Rose said, as she glanced at Fandral.

"Yes...we could never turn away those in need," he agreed, as they led them to the vast library.

"Stars...I've seen many book collections in my considerable years, but none such as this," Cassim said in awe.

"Wait until we tell Belle about this," Aladdin agreed.

"Do you know what world you are trying to get to?" Rose asked curiously.

"Yes...it's a bit of a story, but my father and I left this world to find our homeland. Only when we got there...it was completely gone. I'm not sure what kind of sorcery can make an entire Kingdom disappear, but I need answers," Aladdin explained.

"Yes and those answers may rest with our friends in this land we left behind," Cassim continued.

"It's a Land Without Magic, except one place. A small town, which happens to inhabit some people who are well versed in many kinds of magic," Aladdin added.

"A Land Without Magic? My love, didn't you once speak of a place where they did not use magic, but rather science?" Rose asked.

"Yes...it sounds much like a world I once visited when I was a warrior of Asgard. I think I may know someone who can get you there," Fandral said. Aladdin's eyes widened.

"You do?" he asked in surprise. The blonde man smiled.

"Yes...it's a few hours journey from here to the place where I am able to contact him, if you fancy a bit of a quest," Fandral replied.

"We'd be most grateful if you could show us," Cassim stated.

"We would be happy to. I always enjoy the occasion to visit Heimdall," Rose said fondly.

"Heimdall?" Aladdin asked.

"An Asgardian that can open a portal to any world with the bi-frost. He survived an apocalyptic event that destroyed our home. I nearly died in the battle, but fell through a portal as our world collapsed. That's how I met Rose," Fandral replied.

"Sounds like you both have your own stories," Cassim commented. They nodded, smiling fondly at each other.

"Very much so. To this day, Heimdall is the only Asgardian that knows I survived Ragnarok," Fandral added.

"Perhaps we can exchange stories and you could perhaps tell us about the people you thought we were when you first saw us?" Rose inquired. Aladdin smiled.

"Happy to," he agreed.

"Excellent. We shall leave in the morning at first light. I will have the staff prepare all the supplies we shall need for our journey," Fandral said, as he kissed her tenderly and was off to get them ready to leave.

"You both must be famished though. Follow me and you can join us for an evening meal," Rose suggested, as she motioned them to follow.

~*~

Aladdin and Cassim waited the next morning in the atrium, as the palace staff bustled around. Soon Rose Red and Fandral joined them, ready for the excursion in appropriate riding attire. They were surprised to see a handmaiden arrive with them as well and let the child in her arms down.

"Mama, Papa...Cordelia said I can really go with you this time!" the small blonde child called, as her father lifted her into her arms.

"Yes, we don't foresee this as anything more than a leisurely journey," he said, as he kissed her forehead.

"Majesties...are you sure you do not want me to accompany you for Carina's sake?" the handmaiden questioned.

"We shall be fine, Cordelia. Fandral and I take great joy in caring for our daughter ourselves. We do appreciate your help when necessary though," Rose said. The handmaiden still didn't look too happy, but excused herself.

"I believe she feels underused," Fandral commented wryly.

"That may be, but handmaidens are not raising our baby. That is one royal tradition that will not carry through in my rule," Rose responded and he smiled at her. They looked at their guests and realized their surprise was due to the fact they had not met their daughter.

"Oh right...due to the late hour of yesterday, our little one was already in bed. Aladdin, Cassim, this is our daughter Carina," Rose said.

"Yes, our little angel. Sweetheart, this is Aladdin and his father Cassim," Fandral said, but the child hid her face shyly in her father's chest. He chuckled.

"We're a bit shy, but I believe Mr. Aladdin can regale us many stories on our journey," he whispered to her. She peeked her head out and looked at him.

"What kind of stories?" she asked. Aladdin smiled.

"Many adventures to far off lands and some with a Prince and a Princess that are much like your Mama and Papa," Aladdin said. The child seemed less shy then, as the horses were saddled and Fandral placed their daughter on his horse in front of him.

"It should be only a few hours' journey from here. We should arrive by midday," Fandral said, as the hour horses rode off on the well worn path.

~*~

Fandral was correct and within a few hours, they had reached their intended destination. Aladdin had to marvel at the beautiful place, for it was as lush and serene as any he had ever seen.

"This place is a paradise," he mentioned, noticing an incredible arched bridge over the waters.

"You're not far off. This place is known as the edge of realms. It's the only place where Heimdall can see us from his vantage point and the only place he would willingly open the bi-frost," Fandral explained.

"Yes, as you know, realm travel can be tricky and dangerous as well," Rose added.

"But how in the world did we get to the edge of realms so quickly?" Cassim asked, as Aladdin gazed back at the tunnel they had come through. He remembered feeling a little funny as they passed through the narrow passageway.

"It's that tunnel, isn't it? It's like some kind of warp tunnel," he surmised. Rose smiled.

"Quite and it does not appear to just anyone. Anyone well versed in magic can find it, but for us, it appears to us with this in our possession," Rose explained, as she showed them a glowing stone that seemed to hum.

"It's Heimdall's Singasteinn or singing stone. It allows us to find passage to this place and Heimdall to hear our call," Fandral explained.

"Incredible…" Aladdin uttered, as they noticed the burning, rainbow portal open up and a very large man in golden Asgardian armor appeared before them. He was an extremely intimidating figure, at least to them, for they witnessed Fandral let his daughter down. The little girl ran excitedly toward the armored man.

"Heimdall!" Carina called. The imposing man immediately softened and placed a tender hand on the child's blonde head.

"Hello little Princess," he greeted.

"Fandral...Your Majesty," he greeted, bowing to Rose, signifying that he had a deep amount of respect for Fandral's wife.

"It's good to see you well, Heimdall," Rose greeted in return.

"We have brought these travelers with us. They are trying to reach the Land Without Magic," Fandral explained.

"A place called Storybrooke, to be exact," Aladdin added.

"Yes...an infamous place, indeed. A place with magic in a land without. For such a spot, it attracts great evil," Heimdall replied.

"Is Storybrooke in danger again?" Cassim asked.

"Again? Don't you mean still? When is it not in danger?" Aladdin commented in a salty tone.

"I am afraid a great many evils have converged on this place. Aphrodite's champions managed to vanquish Hades himself and save the entire realm. However, their troubles have not ended there," he explained. Aladdin's eyes widened.

"Snow and Charming took on Hades himself and won?" the former street rat asked in disbelief.

"With the assistance of Aphrodite herself, their children, and their friends, yes. Unfortunately, a great evil from their past has returned," Heimdall explained, as he looked to Rose Red.

"An acquaintance from your past has also perfected his serum," he informed.

"Jekyll has separated from Hyde permanently and left the Land of Untold Stories?" Rose asked in shock. He nodded and looked to Aladdin.

"Yes, they both have, I'm afraid. And the serum has been used on the woman you know as Regina to bring about her evil half once again," Heimdall said.

"The Evil Queen has returned?" Aladdin asked in abject horror.

"And if that were not enough, I am afraid before his destruction, Hades revived the one known as the Collector, who has been a scourge to all the realms for a very long time," Heimdall added.

"Clayton is back..." Cassim uttered in disbelief.

"We need to get there, more so than we thought. We need to rejoin this fight with our friends," Aladdin stated. Cassim allowed himself a small smile. Despite the unknown mystery surrounding the disappearance of Agrabah, his son was willing to put that aside to help with an even greater crisis. He was truly becoming a hero.

"Rose...are you all right?" Fandral asked, noticing her pensive look.

"Fandral...if Jekyll has been permanently separated from Hyde, he could be even more dangerous now," she said. He looked torn.

"Hyde himself is no saint," he reminded her. But she shook her head.

"Hyde was the half that kept Jekyll's darker impulses at bay. It was Hyde that saved me from Jekyll by forcing his way out. It was Hyde that made sure we were reunited," she reminded. He nodded.

"You know this Jekyll and Hyde?" Aladdin asked.

"Jekyll is mad...and was quite obsessed with Rose. I don't know what other evils your friends are facing, but while Jekyll is not powerful in magic or stature, he is a genius. His brand of evil can be more devastating than I'm sure anyone realizes," Fandral explained.

"And our friend Snow White bears a striking resemblance to Rose," Cassim mentioned. Rose nodded.

"We must go to aid them," she decided. Fandral nodded and she called a bird to her.

"Tell our people that we shall return in a few days time. We must help some friends," she instructed, as the bird flew off to deliver her message. Fandral picked their little girl up and then joined hands with Rose. Aladdin suddenly felt like he was stretching, as they entered the portal via the bi-frost and disappeared. And this would prove to be another beginning and fantastic adventures.

The End.

Rose Red and Fandral's story continues in Finding You Always


End file.
